[Antimicrobial activity of Morinda morindoides on in vitro growth of vibrio cholerae in Côte d'Ivoire]. / Activité de Morinda morindoides sur la croissance in vitro du vibrion du choléra: expérimentation en Côte d'Ivoire.

Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries. As a contribution to management of this disease, the study described herein was carried out in Côte d'Ivoire. The purpose was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of products obtained by various techniques from the leaves of Morinda morindoides on a pathogenic strain of Vibrio cholerae O:1. Morinda morindoides is a medicinal plant in the Ivorian pharmacopoeia. The products were obtained as aqueous extracts, 70% ethanolic extracts, residual extracts and a chromatographic fraction (BGG F5). All three extracts and the chromatographic fraction showed considerable in vitro antimicrobial efficacy against Vibrio cholerae O:1. The most active against in vitro growth of Vibrio cholorae O:1 was the 70% ethanolic extract with a minimal bactericidal concentration of 5 mg/ml. The antibacterial properties of this medicinal plant can be of great benefit for management of cholera.

Antidiarrheal Activity of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Morindamorindoides in Rats

Purpose: The objective of the study was to investigate the ethyl acetate extract of Morindamorindoides (Baker) Milne-Redh (Rubiaceae) (MM-EA) properties against experimental diarrheoa induced by castor oil in albino Wistar rats. Methods: The ethyl acetate extract of Morinda morindoides (250; 500; and 1000 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally to three groups of rats (five animals per group) in order to evaluate the activity of the extract against castor oil-induced diarrhea model in rat. Two other groups received normal saline (5mg/kg) and loperamide (5mg/kg) as positive control. The effect of the extract on intestinal transit and castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling) was assessed. Results: At oral doses of 250; 500; and 1000 mg/kg body weight; the plant extract showed pronounced and dose-dependent antidiarrheal activity. The protective role of the extract at 1000 mg/kg was comparable to that of the reference drug; loperamide (5mg/kg). The extract (1000 mg/kg) produced a decrease in intestinal transit comparable to atropine (5mg/kg); and significantly (p0.01) inhibited castor oil-induced enteropooling. No mortality and visible signs of general weakness were observed in the rats following the extract administration of up to a dose of 6000 mg/kg. Conclusion: The results showed that the extract of M. morindoides has a significant antidiarrheal activity which supports its use in traditional herbal medicine practice

[Anaemia, iron index status and acute phase proteins in malaria (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)]. / Anémie, métabolisme du fer et protéines de la réaction inflammatoire au cours du paludisme (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire).

Clinical signs of malaria are the combined expression of several biological mechanisms. During this parasite infection, anaemia can be the consequence of several different pathogenic mechanisms. It can be an acute haemolytic anaemia due to a mechanical and immune action of the parasite or an inflammation. Besides, in Africa malaria matches with iron deficiency area. So, malarial anaemia in tropical area can be a characteristic of iron deficiency The purpose of this survey was to define the features of malarial anaemia and elucidate the link of all biological processes involved. A black population living in tropical urban areas, with fever and diagnosed Plasmodium-infection was assessed. Parasitaemia, haemoglobin, hematocrit, average corpuscular volume and average corpuscular haemoglobin were determined. For each patient, iron index status and acute phase protein were assessed with the plasmatic iron, ferritin, haptoglobin, transferrin and C-reactive protein. Regardless of gender and age, the characteristics of malarial anaemia are microcythaemia and hypochromia. Anaemia occurs as frequently as parasitaemia is high. When parasitaemia is low anaemia gets a haemolytic feature. When parasitaemia is high, anaemia gets haemolytic and inflammatory features. Anaemia occurs more often with a good iron index status.

[Protein profile and vitamin A in children of school age in Ivory Coast]. / Profil protéique et vitamine A chez l'enfant d'âge scolaire en Côte d'Ivoire.

The purpose of this transverse prospective study was to determine blood nutritional, immunity and inflammatory proteins change in vitamin A deficiency in children of school-age (262 children, aged 7 to 15 years). Blood vitamin A has been determined by HPLC with UV detection. Proteins have been measured by radial immunodiffusion according to Mancini. Results showed that 96 children (36.6%) presented a vitamin A deficiency (vitamin A < 200 microg/L with a retinol binding protein/transthyretin molar ratio = 0.29 +/- 0.06) while 166 (63.3%) children presented normal blood concentrations of vitamin A (vitamin A > or = 200 microg/L with a Retinol Binding Protein/Transthyretin molar ratio = 0.40 +/- 0.08). This study showed that the retinol binding protein and the immunoglobulin A are lower in children with vitamin A deficiency. On the other hand, an isolated increase of alpha-1 glycoprotein acid has been observed in boys with vitamin A deficiency. The vitamin A deficiency observed in this survey is due to a micronutrients deficiency in the diet which is essentially based on glucides. The positive correlation between vitamin A and immunoglobulin A concentrations might be the result of the vitamin A inductive effect during immunoglobulins A synthesis. The isolated increasing of alpha-1 glycoprotein acid in boys with vitamin A deficiency has been assigned to the ecosensitiveness of the unfavourable environment. We therefore concluded that, in Ivorian primary-school-aged children with vitamin A deficiency, nutritional, immunity and inflammatory proteins which are modified are respectively retinol binding protein, immunoglobulin A and alpha-1 glycoprotein acid.