Anti-Inflammatory Potentials of the n-Hexane Fraction of Alstonia boonei Stem Bark in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Wistar Rats

Ethnomedical knowledge of plants used in alternative medicine to treat hemorrhoidal diseases in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga province, Southern Democratic Republic of Congo

BACKGROUND

A variety of medicinal plants are used in traditional medicine in Lubumbashi for the management of hemorrhoidal diseases. However, no investigation has been conducted to gather the knowledge required for this type of management in the region. The present study was conducted to inventory the plants used in Lubumbashi to treat hemorrhoidal diseases and to relate their ethnomedical characteristics.

METHODS

This study was conducted between March 2022 and February 2023 by interviews using semi-structured questionnaire with households (n = 1520), herbalists (n = 25), and traditional healers: THs (n = 59).

RESULTS

The 1,604 respondents (sex ratio M/F = 0.9; mean age: 56 ± 3 years; experience: 12 ± 3 years) provided information on 100 taxa, 84 of which are used against internal hemorrhoids, Phyllanthus amarus being the most cited (Citation Index, CI: 0.76). Most of them are trees (38%) or shrubs (32%), belonging to 90 genera and 45 families dominated by the Fabaceae (10%) and Asteraceae (9%). They are indicated in 76 other pathologies, dominated by gastrointestinal disorders (GID), wounds and sexually transmitted infections (CI > 0.57). From these 100 taxa, 117 anti-hemorrhoidal formulations were derived, 11 of which combined more than one plant. In all these recipes, the leaf is the most commonly used part (> 60%) and the liniment (> 45%) is the most popular form of application. For the first time, this study reports 14 taxa as plants used in the treatment of hemorrhoids. Among these taxa, Ficus stuhlmannii, Ficus laurifolia, and Ocimum centraliafricanum are listed as medicinal plants for the first time. Khaya nyasica, and Syzygium cordatum, each with 11 uses, have the highest traditional medicinal value.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study indicate that a significant number of medicinal plants are used in traditional medicine in Lubumbashi for the treatment of hemorrhoidal diseases. Some of these plants are endemic to the biodiversity area, while others are shared with other cultures and regions. A series of pharmacological studies is currently underway with the objective of validating the anti-hemorrhoidal properties of these plants and in order to identify phytochemical compounds responsible of this activity.

The Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Circulating Metabolites and Gut Microbiota in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Epidemiological studies confirmed that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of adverse cardiovascular events. It is increasingly recognized that the composition of gut microbiota and metabolites is involved in modulating the cardiovascular health of the host. However, the association of moderate alcohol consumption with serum metabolites and gut microbiome and its impact on coronary artery disease (CAD) is not fully investigated.

Method: Serum untargeted metabolomics analysis and fecal 16S rRNA sequencing were performed on 72 male patients with CAD having various alcohol consumption (36 non-drinkers, 18 moderate drinkers, and 18 heavy drinkers) and 17 matched healthy controls. MetaboAnalyst and PICRUSt2 were utilized to analyze the possible involved metabolic pathways. Multi-omics analysis was achieved by Spearman correlation to reveal the interactions of alcohol consumption with gut microbiome and serum metabolites in patients with CAD.

Results: We noted distinct differences between patients with CAD, with varying levels of alcohol consumption and healthy controls in aspects of serum metabolome and the gut microbiome. Moderate alcohol consumption significantly changed the lipidomic profiles, including reductions of sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids in moderate drinkers with CAD when compared with non and heavy drinkers with CAD. Moreover, we also found the reduction of microbial-derived metabolites in moderate drinkers with CAD, such as 2-phenylacetamide and mevalonic acid. To be noted, the gut microbiota of moderate drinkers with CAD tended to resemble that of healthy controls. Compared with non-drinkers, the relative abundance of genus Paraprevotella, Lysinibacillus was significantly elevated in moderate drinkers with CAD, while the genus Bifidobacterium, Megasphaera, and Streptococcus were significantly reduced in moderate drinkers with CAD. Multi-omics analysis revealed that specific metabolites and microbes associated with moderate alcohol consumption were correlated with the severity of CAD.

Conclusions: Our study revealed that the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on serum metabolites and gut microbiota in patients with CAD seemed to be separated from that of heavy and non-alcohol consumption. Moderate drinking tended to have more positive effects on metabolic profiles and commensal flora, which may explain its beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Overall, our study provides a novel insight into the effects of moderate alcohol consumption in patients with CAD.