Ethnobotanical survey and antibacterial activity of some plants used in Guinean traditional medicine.

A total of 418 healers have been interviewed in Guinea, a coastal country of West Africa, ranging between 7 degrees 30 and 12 degrees 30 of northern latitude and 8 degrees and 15 degrees of western longitude. Plant species used by the local inhabitants to treat infectious diseases were identified using ethnobotanical, ethnographic and taxonomic methods. During these investigations, 218 plants were registered, of which the following were the most frequently used: Erythrina senegalensis, Bridelia ferruginea, Crossopteryx febrifuga, Ximenia americana, Annona senegalensis, Cochlospermum tinctorium, Cochlospermum planchonii, Lantana camara, Costus afer, Psidium guajava, Terminalia glaucescens, Uapaca somon and Swartzia madagascariensis. Most plants, and especially the leaves, were essentially used as a decoction. In order to assess antibacterial activity, 190 recipes were prepared and biologically tested, among which six showed activity (minimal inhibitory concentration<125 microg/ml) against Bacillus cereus, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Staphylococcus aureus, or Candida albicans, i.e., Entada africana, Chlorophora regia, Erythrina senegalensis, Harrisonia abyssinica, Uvaria tomentosa, and a mixture of six plants consisting of Swartzia madagascariensis, Isoberlinia doka, Annona senegalensis, Gardenia ternifolia, Terminalia glaucescens and Erythrina senegalensis.

[Prevalence of hypertension in Guinean rural areas]. / Prévalence de l'hypertension artérielle en milieu rural guinéen.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and awareness of HTA in Guinean rural populations with respect to age and gender. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey in rural Guinea: Köpèrè-Döfili (400 inhabitants) and Töbölön (900 inhabitants). PARTICIPANTS: 188 subjects (81 in Köpèrè-Döfili and 107 in Töbölön), 15 years and older were visited in their homes between November 2000 and April 2001. METHODS: The blood pressures were measured with an electronic tensiometer "Philips HF305". Awareness of HTA and risk factors were determined by interviews. HTA was defined as mean SBP/DBP = 140/90 mmHg. RESULTS: Overall, 69% (56/81) in Köpèrè-Döfili and 27% (29/107) in Töbölön were hypertensive. Among these, only 2 (Köpèrè) and 6 patients (Töbölön) were aware of their condition. HTA was strongly gender dependent in Köpèrè where 98% (44/45) of the males were concerned. In Köpèrè-Döfili, the combined systolo-diastolic hypertension (SDH) was predominant (80%; 45/56) and was associated to the male gender (80%; 36/45). In the hypertensive population of Töbölön, the isolated PAD (DH) was mainly associated with the female group (47%, 8/17). The grade III HTA (PAS/PAD > or = 180/110 mmHg) concerned both gender (41%, 18/44 for males; 42%, 5/12 for females) in Köpèrè-Döfili and mainly the female group in Töbölön (29%, 5/17). Smoking was the most frequently associated risk factor in the studied population of Köpèrè-Döfili (70%) and Töbölön (45%). The smokers were predominantly female in Köpèrè-Döfili (89%, 32/36) or male in Töbölön (51%, 24/47). Among the smokers, the hypertensive individuals were 96% (24/25) of the males and 38% (12/32) of the females in Köpèrè, 29% (7/24) of the males and 38% (9/24) of the females in Töbölön. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is highly prevalent in two Guinean rural localities where less than 5% of the studied population were aware of their conditions, suggesting the nationwide demand for preventing and controlling HTA in Guinea.

Tumeur benigne de l'estomac : a propos d'un cas a developpement exogastrique. Revue de la litterature

Nous rapportons le cas d'une tumeur benigne exogastrique revelee par la palpation d'une masse abdominale dans le flanc gauche d'un patient asymptomatique age de 47 ans et en bon etat general.C'est une affection rare a. predominance masculine.L'echotomographie et la tomodensitometrie localisent cette masse d'aspect heterogene dans l'hypocondre gauche.La tomodensitometrie precise l'origine gastrique de la tumeur en mettant en evidence un fin pedicule la reliant a l'estomac.La laparotomie permet l'exerese de la tumeur dont l'evolution peut-etre prolongee en l'absence de metastase.L'etude histologique de la piece operatoire met en evidence un leiomyome. Le diagnostic de certitude de leiomyome exogastrique est ainsi portes.L'evolution post-operatoire est favorable

[Microorganisms of the fam. Micrococcaceae in the production and storage of prepackaged veal]. / Mikroorganizmi ot sem. Micrococcaceae pri proizvodstvoto i sukhranenieto na razfasovano teleshko meso.

Studies were carried out on the numbers and composition of organisms belonging to family Micrococcaceae in the production and storing of calf meat on a dressing combine supplied with modern equipment. Investigated were a total of 60 samples taken from small cuts of veal of the various carcass parts. The samples were packed either under vacuum or without such, and were studied immediately after cutting in small parts or after storing for 48 and 72 hours at 4 to 6 degrees C. It was found that the amount of Micrococcaceae organisms on the surface of cut meat packed out or in vacuum was within the range of 10(3) up to 10(4)/g, and it was shown to be in close relation to the microbial contamination of the initial raw material. There was no rise of the numbers of micrococci and staphylococci of veal that was cut and packed out of vacuum and kept for 48 hours at 4 to 6 degrees C. At refrigerator storing of veal that was packed under vacuum there was no increase in the microbial numbers at the 72nd hour. This pointed to the advantage of using the introduced technology of packing the meat under vacuum. Micrococcus luteus (56.7%), Micrococcus varians (41.8%), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (1.5%) were isolated from cuts of veal packed both in and out of vacuum. No pathogenic staphylococci were found.