Efficacy of local essential oils against Amblyomma variegatum tick from Burkina Faso

The native tick Amblyomma variegatum remains one of the most important tick species affecting cattle in West Africa. This hinders animal production by negatively impacting the health and reproduction of animals infested with the tick. Given the negative consequences on production quality and environmental health, the use of chemical products for tick control is increasingly being discouraged. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the acaricidal activity of essential oils such as Ageratum conyzoïdes, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon giganteus, Lippia multiflora and Ocimum gratissimum against specimens of A. variegatum from Burkina Faso. A larval immersion test was performed to investigate the larvicidal activities of these essential oils. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the chemical compositions of essential oils. The chemical composition was predominantly oxygenated monoterpenes in A. conyzoïdes (48.71 %), C. citratus (99.9 %) and C. giganteus (73.63 %), while hydrocarbon monoterpenes were the most abundant in O. gratissimum (63.7 %) and hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes in L. multiflora (71.719 %). The recorded larvicidal activity, varied according to the species of plants and the dose applied. At a dose of 12.5 mg/mL, all essential oils studied, except L. multiflora (7.54 %), induced 100 % larval mortality. In this study, we highlight the promising larvicidal effects of local essential oils against A. variegatum. These essential oils can be used as bio-acaricides, which are effective and environmentally-friendly alternatives to chemical products. However, further investigations are required to determine the mechanisms of action of these essential oils for in vivo experimentation and their practical application in the control of A. variegatum ticks.

Social perceptions of malaria and diagnostic-driven malaria treatment in Burkina Faso

Malaria is a parasitic disease, endemic in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. Malaria is a well-known disease, familiar to almost all people in endemic regions, as they or their family are regularly confronted with it; everyone in these regions has probably experienced the disease, at least once in their life. To investigate the social perceptions of malaria in Burkina Faso, including its diagnosis-driven treatment, we have conducted a survey in both urban (Saint Camille Hospital, Ouagadougou HOSCO) and rural (Boussé Hospital) areas. Fifty-six individuals, mostly representatives of the society variability, were surveyed by questionnaires and 2 focus groups were organized with traditional healers. In general, populations seem to have grasped the causes, symptoms and means of preventing the disease. However, the majority of interviewees make a marked confusion between malaria and dengue; dengue fever is considered like a severe form of malaria. The care modalities (modern and/or traditional medicine) are plural and the choice of therapeutic practice depends on both the socio-economic conditions and education level of the patient. Whereas some patients mark preferences for one type of medicine, others simultaneously recourse to both; for these, a medicine does not outperform the other and their combination multiplies the chances of a quick recovery. Whether for modern or traditional medicine, the diagnosis is considered very important for effective disease management. Modern medicine uses diagnostic tools based on light microscopy and immunochromatography (rapid diagnostic tests; RDT); traditional medicine has its own diagnostic logic but nevertheless recognizes modern medicine diagnosis to guide its therapy.

90 % of those interviewed first use modern medicine to seek an accurate diagnosis of their disease and thus to receive adequate treatment. Presumptive treatments are still widely prescribed and accepted by most patients who trust the judgment of their caregiver, not perceiving any benefit to an objective diagnosis. In front of a negative diagnosis, patient reactions are diverse, some accepting investigations for other diseases (45 %), others opting for self-medication (15 %), others resorting to traditional medicine (20 %).

All are unanimous in the importance of diagnosis and are in favor of in-development diagnostic technologies, provided these obviously meet the features of reliability, ease of use, availability and, of course, economical accessibility.

Chemopreventive compounds from plant derived food and their bioactivity

Terrestrial plants, especially higher plants, have a long history of use for the treatment of many human diseases such as ailment, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders. Since then, many studies have been designed to evaluate biochemical properties of whole plant extract, fractions or isolated compounds. Several researches have established the relation between consumption of plant derived products to minimize the oxidative stress and diseases associated with stress. These beneficial biological properties on animal health has been attributed to certain classes of metabolites contents in plants including anthocyanins, flavonols, tannins, carotenoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and vitamins. The bioactivity of these compounds is due to their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) or NOS or to modulate antioxidant enzymes expression. The devastating environmental pollution has burdened with numerous toxic chemicals of which biological compounds such as nucleic acid, proteins and membrane phospholipids were the potential targets leading to mutation, cell injury and death. The endogenous antioxidant systems falls prey in response to these toxic and deleterious oxidants and reactive oxygen species. In these conditions, exogenous chemopreventive compounds extracted from plant derived foods are required to maintain cell hemostasis. This review highlights the source and the chemopreventive mechanisms of genoprotective compounds from plant derived food.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.9(5) 2018 1-7

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Fractions from Bidens engleri O.E. Schulz (Asteraceae) and Boerhavia erecta L. (Nyctaginaceae)

Background: According to recent studies, reactive oxygen is the leader of human metabolic disease development. The use of natural antioxidants is the best way to stop or prevent this problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and to determine the polyphenolic contents of the Bidens engleri and Boerhavia erecta fractions. Methods: Plant fractions were obtained using Soxhlet procedures with hexane, dichloromethane, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, methanol, and butanol solvent, successively. The different fractions were compared according to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents. The phenolic contribution to the biological activity was evaluated. Result: The Bidens engleri and Boerhavia erecta fractions showed the highest antioxidant abilities, notably the polar fractions, which inhibited significantly the radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-O-azinobis(3-ethylbenzoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS). The butanol fraction from Bidens engleri and methanol fraction from Boerhavia erecta have presented the best iron (III) reduction power with 211.68 and 198.55 mgAAE/g, respectively. Butanol and acetonitrile were the best solvents for extracting phenolic compounds from Bidens engleri and Boerhavia erecta, respectively. In contrast, dichloromethane was the best solvent for extracting a flavonoid from two plants with anti-COX-2 and anti-LOX-15 active compounds. The phenolic compound contributed significantly to antioxidant activity (r > 0.80). Conclusion: The Bidens engleri and Boerhavia erecta fractions possessed a potential antioxidant for fighting oxidative stress and helping to prevent diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. The uses of this plant could be promoted in Burkina Faso.