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Spirulina is a type of algae widely consumed around the world as a dietary supplement due to its great nutritional potential. However, it does not contain vitamin C, a vital vitamin for the proper functioning of the human body, particularly given its immunostimulant potential. The objective of this work was to formulate sustained release spirulina-vitamin C matrix tablets that would enhance particularly a prolonged release and better absorption of vitamin C. A galenic formula based only on vitamin C was made, and then the proportion of vitamin C was reduced in favor of spirulina powder. The manufactured tablets were then subjected to various pharmacopeial quality control tests. The results of these tests showed a good distribution of the powder mixtures in the formulated tablets (i.e., mass uniformity test) and satisfactory outcomes were found for the content uniformity, disintegration and dissolution tests (with 45 % of vitamin C dissolved after 4 hours). Only the results for the friability test were unsatisfactory, indicating the need to improve the physical properties of the powders before compression. These findings open a new area for developing supplementary dietary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients in quail eggs can be affected by egg product processing technologies. However, freeze-drying would be the most suitable, but it is very costly and difficult to transfer to the quail egg production actors. This study is aimed at comparing the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of liquid, pasteurized, hot air-dried, and freeze-dried quail eggs. Liquid quail eggs were used as controls. The physicochemical and microbiological qualities were evaluated by conventional methods. The results showed that freeze-dried and hot air-dried quail eggs differed (p < 0.05) from liquid and pasteurized quail eggs for all the evaluated parameters. On the other hand, pasteurized quail eggs were more concentrated (p < 0.05) in dry matter (45.2 ± 0.06 %) and fat (25.8 ± 1.33 %) with a more basic pH (7.9 ± 0.20) than liquid eggs. As for microbiological parameters, only total mesophilic aerobic germs were present with a significant difference (p < 0.05) between liquid (2.0 ± 1.4 log10 CFU/g), hot air-dried (2.1 ± 1.5 log10 CFU/g), and freeze-dried (1.8 ± 1.0 log10 CFU/g) quail eggs, but the load was much lower than the standard (5.7 log10 CFU/g). Total coliforms (0 CFU/g), Enterobacteriaceae (0 CFU/g), yeasts (0 CFU/g), molds (0 CFU/g), Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus were absent in all the egg products, while the standards provided 2.0 log10 CFU/g for total coliforms, 1.0 log10 CFU/g for Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella absent in 25 g, Staphylococcus aureus absent in 1 g, and 2.0 log10 CFU/g for yeasts and molds. In conclusion, hot air-drying and pasteurization are transferable and suitable for the processing of quail eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In West African medicine, Entada africana Guill. & Perr. from the family of Fabaceae is used to treat inflammatory conditions in the management of fractures, wounds, and sprains in the northern region of the Republic of Benin. The aim of the present study was to isolate and elucidate phenolic compounds from a hydroalcoholic leaf extract from E. africana and to identify compounds with anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Eleven compounds were purified from three fractions, which have shown strong to medium anti-inflammatory activity. The isolated compounds were characterized by HRESI-MS and NMR methods as gallic acid (1), ethyl gallate (2), 5,7-dihydroxychromen-4-one (3), 3′,4′,7-trihydroxyflavone (4), dihydrokaempferol-7- O -glucoside (5), catechin (6), quercetin-3- O -[β-apiosyl-(1‴→2″)-β-glucoside] (7), quercetin-3- O -glucoside (8), naringenin-7- O -glucoside (9), aromadendrin (10), and myricetin-3- O -glucoside (11). Nine of the major phenolic compounds were tested using TNF-α stimulated human keratinocytes (HaCaT) as skin inflammation model to identify molecules, which may explain the use of the plant leaves as an anti-inflammatory remedy by assessing the release of proinflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-6. The hydroacoholic leaf extract of E. africana exerted a medium inhibitory effect on the release of IL-8. 3′,4′,7-trihydroxyflavone, aromadendrin, dihydrokaempferol-7- O -glucoside and ethyl gallate demonstrated a strong to medium effect on the release of IL-6. For the release of IL-8, 3′,4′,7-trihydroxyflavone demonstrated a medium activity. This study provides for the first time a detailed screening of phenolic compounds occurring in the hydroethanolic leaf extract of E. africana. Additionally, it is shown that E. africana contains active compounds which may justify its traditional medicinal use as an anti-inflammatory remedy to treat inflammatory and pain-related skin conditions in the Republic of Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves from Combretum collinum Fresen (Combretaceae) are commonly used for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, wound healing and bacterial infections in traditional West African medicine. This research focuses on the characterization of the phenolic profile and lipophilic compounds of leaves extracts of C. collinum. Studies of the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity were performed in TNFα stimulated HaCaT cells and antibacterial activity was evaluated with agar well diffusion and microdilution assays. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS assays and compared to standards. The phytochemical studies confirmed myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and myricetin-3-O-glucoside as major components of the leaves extracts, each contributing significantly to the antioxidant activity of the hydrophilic extracts. GC-MS analysis identified 19 substances that were confirmed by comparison with spectral library data and authentic standards. Combretum collinum aqueous leaves extract decreased pro-inflammatory mediators in TNFα stimulated HaCaT cells. Further investigations showed that myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside has an anti-inflammatory effect on IL-8 secretion. In the antimicrobial screening, the largest inhibition zones were found against S. epidermidis, MRSA and S. aureus. MIC values resulted in 275.0 µg/mL for S. epidermidis and 385.5 µg/mL for MRSA. The in vitro anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activity supports topical use of C. collinum leaves extracts in traditional West African medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are frequently used in African countries due to their importance in the treatment of various conditions. In the northern Republic of Benin, traditional healers are recognized as specialists in the treatment of fractures, wounds, and sprains. The present study was conducted to document the practices (diagnosis and materials) and traditional knowledge accumulated by healers in this region on their area of specialty. In addition, literature-based research was performed to support the usage of the most cited plants. Sixty traditional healers identified as "reference persons" from Atakora and Donga departments in the northern Republic of Benin, who specialized in the treatment of fractures, wounds, and sprains, were interviewed in their communities through a semi-structured questionnaire. Information about the practice, age of the healers, medicinal plants used in this treatment, methods of preparation, and administration were collected. Samples of the plant species were also collected, identified, and stored in the national herbarium at the University of Abomey-Calavi, the Republic of Benin. The study enabled the identification of thirty-four (34) species belonging to twenty-three (23) families. Ochna rhizomatosa and Ochna schweinfurthiana (21%) were the most quoted plants among the species, followed by Chasmanthera dependens (12.1%), Piliostigma thonningii (11.3%), and Combretum sericeum (8.1%). These plants were reported to strengthen bones, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote healing in the northern part of the Republic of Benin. Besides their ability to treat fractures, wounds, and sprains, they are also used for multiple purposes in the West African subregions. According to the available literature, some of the plants will need to be investigated for their phytoconstituents and pharmacological activity to validate their ethnobotanical uses. These results confirm the need for documenting traditional knowledge since it represents an opportunity for exploring plant species with potentially good pharmacological effects, which have been barely investigated. Plants identified may constitute a significant source of bioactive compounds in the treatment of various ailments such as skin inflammation and musculoskeletal disorders. They can be further explored to justify their use in traditional Beninese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects and insect-derived products play a vital role in traditional medicine in many parts of the world since ancient times. Among these insects, fungus-growing termites like Macrotermes bellicosus (M. bellicosus) are widely used in nutrition and traditional medicine in various societies of sub-Saharan Africa. Aim of the present study was to explore the traditional applications of M. bellicosus and subsequently investigate the anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity of samples collected in Benin. An ethnomedicinal survey with thirty active healers in Benin was conducted and the anti-inflammatory activity of an ethanolic extract of M. bellicosus was investigated. Thus, LPS-induced TNFα release from differentiated human macrophages (THP-1) and IL-8 release from cytokine (IL-1β/TNFα/IFNγ)-challenged human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, the influence of M. bellicosus extract on basal tone and induced contractions in isolated rat small intestinal preparations was determined to examine the influence on intestinal motility. The survey of 30 active healers demonstrated that M. bellicosus and its products (termites' mound and fungus comb) are used in Benin for therapeutic purposes mainly to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases including digestive disorders, snake bites and diarrhea. It was found that M. bellicosus extract inhibited both LPS-induced TNFα release from human macrophages and cytokine-induced IL-8 release from intestinal epithelial cells comparable to budesonide. In addition, isometric contraction measurement with isolated rat small intestinal preparations demonstrated a mild spasmolytic effect of the termite extract in higher concentrations with a suppression of induced contractions and relaxation of basal tone. M. bellicosus which is used in traditional medicine in Benin to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases showed anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokine release and a moderate influence on intestinal motility. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional cheese is the main milk derivative in Bénin. This traditional process is not efficient and generate a lot of whey which has no real use until now. It is just disposed without being environmentally treated. Its use as a source for lactobionic and lactic acids production by Pseudomonas taetrolens and Lactobacillus casei is studied in this work, being also a proposal that can greatly boost economically the dairy sector in the country and reduce the end-of-cycle impact of the residue. To our knowledge, no data is available in the metabolization of Bénin's traditional cheese whey and its potential transformation into commercially valuable products such as lactobionic and lactic acids. With bulk filtration, non-controlled pH batch fermentations and without nutrients supplementation, 66 and 22% of lactose in the traditional cheese whey have been converted into lactobionic acid and lactic acid using Pseudomonas taetrolens and Lactobacillus casei , respectively. Those are important results that encourage to enhance the bioprocesses used in a cost-effective way in order to scale up an industrial production., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Djobo, Sina, Tagba, Ahyi, Savadogo, Adjanohoun, Rendueles and Baba-Moussa.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.