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Cochlospermum tinctorium est une plante médicinale utilisée dans plusieurs pays pour le traitement de l’hépatite. Au Bénin, différentes poudres à base de ses rhizomes sont vendues dans les marchés et utilisées par les tradithérapeutes pour plusieurs usages. L’objectif de cette étude était de répertorier les différentes formes et les divers usages des recettes à base de Cochlospermum tinctorium utilisées au Bénin. Dans ce sens, une enquête ethnomédicinale a été menée auprès de 434 usagers des marchés et 40 tradithérapeutes du Sud et du Nord Bénin suivant la méthode par interview semi-structurée. Les données obtenues ont montré que les recettes à base de C. tinctorium sont plus connues et utilisées au Nord-Bénin. Ces recettes se présentent sous trois formes (A, B et C). Leurs usages sont alimentaires (41%) et médicinales (59%). La forme A est très utilisée (93,91%) par la population enquêtée pour les besoins nutritionnels et thérapeutiques alors que les formes B et C ont, essentiellement, un usage médicinal. Cette étude a permis de comprendre la diversité de recettes associées au terme "poudre jaune" au Bénin. Il est dès lors nécessaire d’évaluer la toxicité et l’efficacité de ces différentes formes d’usage de la poudre de rhizome de C. tinctorium. English title: Uses of rhizome-based powder of Cochlospermum tinctorium Perrier ex A.Rich in Benin: frequency, forms and indications Cochlospermum tinctorium Perrier is a medicinal plant used in several countries for the treatment of hepatitis. In Benin, different powders made from its rhizomes are sold in markets and used by traditional healers for several purposes. The objective of this study was to list the different forms and uses of Cochlospermum tinctorium-based recipes used in Benin. An ethnomedicinal survey was conducted among 434 market users and 40 traditional healers from Southern and Northern Benin using the semi-structured interview method. The data obtained showed that the recipes based on C. tinctorium are more known and used in North Benin. These recipes come in three forms (A, B and C). Their uses are food (41%) and medicinal (59%). Form A is widely used (93.91%) by the population surveyed for nutritional and therapeutic needs while forms B and C have, essentially, a medicinal use. This study has allowed us to understand the diversity of recipes associated with the term "yellow powder" in Benin. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the toxicity and effectiveness of these different forms of use of C. tinctorium rhizome powder.

Benin has attractive ethnobotanical potential with a vast diversity of medicinal plants widely used to treat human diseases. Urinary tract infections are among the diseases traditionally treated by medicinal plants. Mangifera indica, Bridelia ferruginea, Alstonia boonei, Morodora myristica, Xylopia aethiopica and Zanthoxylum zantoxyloides are six plants used in the traditional treatment of urinary infections in Benin. The general objective of this study was to identify the ethnopharmacological uses of these six plants used in traditional medicine in South Benin. To this end, an ethnopharmacological survey was conducted using the semi-structured interview method among herbalists in the markets of South Benin. The ethnobotanical data collected were analyzed using the use-value, the informant consensus factor and the medicinal plant fidelity index. A total of 98 herbalists participated in this study. The six plants studied were involved in 15 different diseases divided into seven disease categories. The most mentioned disease categories are infectious diseases, blood and digestive diseases. Malaria, ulcers, anemia and urinary tract infections are the pathologies most commonly treated by these plants. Informants agreed on the use of these plants in these disease categories. Bark, leafy stems and roots are the parts of the plants most used to treat diseases. Decoction and maceration are the two main methods of preparation, and the oral and cutaneous routes are the main routes of administration. These data constitute ethnopharmacological documentation that can be used for further pharmacological and toxicological studies.

Candidiasis is one of the opportunistic diseases that occur following HIV/AIDS infection. Currently, the management of candidiasis is problematic due to the emergence of resistance to classical antifungal drugs. The search for alternative solutions for the discovery of new bioactive molecules is necessary. This study aims to explore the antifungal properties of Mitracarptus hirtus, Acalypha wikesian and Senna alata on Candida strains isolated from stools of people living with the acquired immunodeficiency virus and collected in some hospitals in Benin and then confirmed by molecular biology techniques at the Research Unit in Microbiology and Pharmacology of natural substances. The strains were tested for different resistance factors. The main phytochemical groups of the plants were searched by staining methods from the dry matter of the studied plants. The determination of total polyphenols and the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the extracts by the DPPH radical scavenging test were carried out by spectrophotometric methods. The in vitro antifungal activity of the aqueous and hydroethanol extracts of these plants was then evaluated on the strains. The antifungal test data revealed that of the three plants tested, only Mitracarptus hirtus showed inhibitory activity on the growth of the reference strain of Candida albicans ATCC 90028. The hydroethanol extract of this plant was active on all clinical strains with a better effect at the concentration of 100 mg/ml. The data obtained also highlighted the richness in total polyphenols and the anti-free radical activity of the plant extracts studied. This study proved particularly the anti-candidus properties of the hydro-ethanolic extract of the leafy stem of Mitracarptus hirtus. Further studies will generate data on the in vivo efficacy and mechanism of action of the anti-candidosis effect of Mitracarptus hirtus.

Previous work stated that Khaya senegalensis, Anacardium ouest L., Pterocarpus erinaceus, Diospyros mespiliformis, Ocimum gratissimum, Manihot esculenta, Vernonia amygdalina Delile, and Daniellia oliveri have a great potential for the fight against infectious diarrhea. However, data on their antibacterial activity on strains of bacteria responsible for infectious diarrhea are not available. This study is aimed at elucidating the mechanism of action of the antibacterial effect of these plants on some bacterial strains responsible for diarrheal infections. The design of the study included first evaluating the degree of sensitivity of Salmonella typhimurium 14028, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. strains to aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of each plant, followed by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and antibiotic power (Pa). This screening was completed with the evaluation of the possible mode of action of the extracts by testing the membrane permeability of these bacterial strains. The data collected indicate that the bacterial strains tested were sensitive to the extracts to varying degrees, except Cassia sieberiana DC and Pseudocedrela kotschyi extracts. For the active extracts, inhibition diameters ranged from 18.33 mm to 7 mm. With the exception of Escherichia coli, all strains were sensitive to the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Anacardium occidentale. MICs vary between 3.37 and 25 mg/ml. Membrane permeability test data show that all active extracts affect the bacterial strains tested by attacking the stability of their outer membrane. For all active extracts, the high percentage of membrane destabilization of the bacteria is significantly ( p < 0.05 ) better than that of cefixime used as a reference. Thus, it appears that these extracts can destroy Gram-negative bacteria and increase the fluidity and permeability of their cytoplasmic membrane. The knowledge of the mechanism of action of these extracts is an interesting contribution to the fundamental knowledge on the alternative that medicinal plants represent to antibiotics. These extracts can be used in the management of infectious diarrhea.

Background The matter of antimicrobial resistance evokes the urgency to explore alternatives to the antibiotics traditionally used for microbial infections. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of action of the antibacterial effect of Khaya senegalensis liable for bacterial strains responsible for diarrheal infections. Results The data collected indicate that the bacterial strains tested (Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp.) were sensitive to the extracts of Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A.Juss. (aqueous and hydro-ethanol) to varying degrees. The hydro-ethanolic extract was active on all strains with a MIC of 25 mg/mL coupled with a bactericidal effect. The aqueous extract was only active on the Salmonella spp. strain. Membrane permeability test data show that Khaya senegalensis extracts affect the bacterial strains tested by attacking the stability of their outer membrane. This potential indicated by the high percentage of membrane destabilization of the bacteria is significantly (p Conclusion This study revealed that Khaya senegalensis destroys Gram-bacteria by attacking the stability of their cytoplasmic membrane. These data provide for the first time the mode of action of Khaya senegalensis extracts concerning their antibacterial activity.

The search for new bioactive molecules with antifungal properties to combat resistance to classical antifungals represents a great challenge. This study aimed to explore the virulence factors and resistance profile of Candida species isolated from urine samples in Benin and the in vitro efficacy of organic extracts of Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob., Lippia multiflora Moldenke and Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A.Juss. on the growth of these Candida spp. The study focused on Candida strains isolated from urine samples collected from patients admitted to the bacteriological analysis laboratories of hospitals in Southern Benin. The sensitivity of these strains to classical antifungal agents was determined by the simple diffusion method. Their pathogenicity was investigated via several virulence factors (gelatinase, hemolysin, hydrophobicity, adhesin, biofilm and lecithinase). The in vitro efficacy of the aqueous, ethanolic and hydro-ethanolic extracts of the plants on Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and on six clinical strains was evaluated by the method of determination of the inhibition diameters. The results obtained showed that 51 different Candida strains were isolated from the collected urine samples with a respective predominance of Candida albicans (52.94%) and Candida glabrata (17.64%) species. All identified species were sensitive to amphotericin B and nystatin but 20% are resistant to fluconazole and present 15 different resistance profiles. Six different virulence factors were identified with a high frequency of hydrophobicity (96.08%) and adhesin (94.12%). Antifungal tests revealed that at 100 mg/mL the plant extracts were active on the tested strains with better activity for Cyanthilium cinereum and Khaya senegalensis. Cyanthilium cinereum, Khaya senegalensis and Lippia multiflora showed antifungal activity on virulent Candida strains suggesting the possibility to explore them further for the discovery of new antifungal molecules.

This study aimed to provide data on the subacute toxicity and fetotoxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalziel, Anacardium occidentale L., Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A. DC., Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A. Juss., Ocimum gratissimum L., Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir., and Manihot esculenta Crantz used in the treatment of diarrheal diseases in Benin. For subacute toxicity, each male and female Wistar rat received by esophageal gavage a maximum of 1000 mg/kg over 28 days following the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guideline No. 407. Bodyweight changes, biochemical and hematological parameters were assessed. The fetotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated on Dutch Blue hen eggs at 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg. The hatching rate, biochemical and hematological constants were subsequently determined. The subacute toxicity data did not indicate any mortality or signs of toxicity. Also, no significant difference in the bodyweight of the rats and the hematological parameters was noted. Concerning fetotoxicity, a low hatching rate (varying from 20% to 50%) was observed in the batches treated with the extracts at 300mg/kg compared to the rate obtained in the negative control batch (80%). The batches that received the hydroethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Manihot esculenta at the tested doses had a hatching rate of 0%. When looking at hematological parameters, no significant difference was noted for all batches. However, an increase in the Aspartate Amino-Transferase (ASAT) values was noted in the batches that received the hydroethanolic extract of Khaya senegalensis and the aqueous extract of Diospyros mespiliformis at 100 and 300 mg/kg. These results explicitly show that the hydroethanolic extracts of Manihot esculenta and Vernonia amygdalina are fetotoxic at the tested doses.

The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is a common practice in developing countries. However, this unregulated or irrational use may pose a risk of toxicity to humans in the short and/or long term. Recent studies reported interesting ethnopharmacological, antioxidant, and phytochemical data on some medicinal plants used in the traditional treatment of male infertility in Benin. Unfortunately, very little data exist on the long-repeated dose toxicity of these medicinal plants. This study was aimed at evaluating the larval cytotoxicity and subacute toxicity of the hydroethanolic extract of Cassytha filiformis whole plant, Gardenia ternifolia roots, and Rourea coccinea leaves. The subacute toxicity of these plants was evaluated in male Wistar albino rats at three different doses (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) according to the OECD 407 guidelines. Hematological and biochemical examinations and the histological study of the liver and kidneys were carried out. Larval cytotoxicity was assessed by the sensitivity of Artemia salina larvae to different concentrations of the studied plants extracts. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) was determined by the probit method. Subacute toxicity data indicated that there was no mortality or structural alterations of the liver and kidneys in the lot of treated animals. However, significant alterations in certain hematological and biochemical parameters (hematocrit, ASAT, and uremia) were noted. These abnormalities were observed in the lot of rats treated with Rourea coccinea and Cassytha filiformis extracts. Larval cytotoxicity data indicate that the studied plants extracts are not cytotoxic (LC50 > 0.1 mg/mL). These data suggest that the use in traditional medicine of studied plants at high doses and repeated over a long period of time requires special attention.

Infertility is a concern for couples, families and society. In almost half of the cases, it is due to male infertility. This infertility, in developing countries like Benin, often cured by the use of medicinal plants. This study aimed to enlist knowledge about medicinal plants used in the treatment of male infertility in southern Benin. An ethnomedicinal investigation has been conducted in southern Benin by questioning traditional healers and market herbalists using the method of semi-structured interview. Ethnopharmacological data has been analyzed by ethnobotanical indices such as informant consensus factor (ICF), frequency of citation for each plant species and contribution of each plant to drug recipes. 90 respondents including 36 market herbalists and 54 traditional healers participated in this study. Data collected allowed us to list 60 plant species belonging to 56 genera and 38 botanical families. Informants had a high degree of consensus (ICF = 0.58) on plants used for treatment of male infertility. The most plants cited by market herbalists were Garcinia kola (10.09%), Cissus populnea (10.09%), Carpolobia lutea (07.40%) and the parts of plants most used were roots and fruits. For traditional healers, Garcinia kola (10.15%), Cyperus esculentus (06.09%), Citrus aurantiifiola (06.09%) were the most plants cited and parts of plants the most used were leaves and roots. This study provided a list of medicinal plants used for the treatment of male infertility in southern Benin. Further pharmacological and toxicological studies will assess the therapeutic efficacy of these medicinal plants.

Antioxidants are a family of substances that can neutralize free radicals and prevent and/or treat diseases associated with oxidative stress such as male’s infertility. Medicinal plants are one of the main sources of antioxidants. Aim: This work was aimed at evaluating the chemical and antioxidant potential of different extracts from some plants used in traditional Beninese medicine for the treatment of male infertility. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on aqueous, hydro-ethanolic and ethanolic extracts from of the roots of Gardenia ternifolia (G. ternifolia), the whole plant of Cassytha filiformis (C. filiformis), the leaves of Rourea coccinea (R. coccinea) and the seed of Garcinia kola (G .kola). Quantification of the total polyphenols and flavonoids content of these extracts was evaluated respectively by the method using Folin Ciocalteu and the method using Aluminum trichloride. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated by molecular spectrophotometry using the free radical scavenging of DPPH and FRAP methods. Results: The results obtained indicated a variation of total polyphenols and flavonoids content according to the type of extract. Hydro-ethanolic extract of the various plants studied has a high polyphenols and flavonoids content. In variable proportions, all the extracts tested reduced the DPPH radical and ferric iron, reflecting their antioxidant potential. The best antioxidant activity has been obtained with the hydro-ethanolic extracts. Conclusion: This study showed that all the plant's extracts studied have antioxidant activity that varies with the type of extract. However, the hydro-ethanolic extractions showed the best antioxidant activities. The data obtained in the present study justified the use of these plants in management of pathologies involving oxidative stress.

Ethnobotanical relevance: Many plants are widely used in traditional medicine across Africa. In Benin, practitioners of Beninese traditional medicine make use of diverse medicinal plants in the traditional management of various diseases including diarrhoea. Aim of the study: This study aimed at highlighting the ethnomedicinal uses of 17 plants in the traditional treatment of diarrhoea and other diseases in southern Benin. Methods: An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out using the semi-structured interview method among practitioners of traditional medicine in Benin. This allowed for the identification of the traditional uses of these plants. The ethnobotanical data collected was analyzed using indices such as Use Value, Informant Consensus Factor and Fidelity Index of medicinal plants. A total of 72 informants participated in this study, including 52 market herbalists and 20 traditional healers. Results: The cited plants were involved in the treatment of 39 diseases and symptoms of diseases which have been divided into 15 categories. The most frequently mentioned disease categories were infectious-, blood and digestive diseases,offering treatement for malaria, diarrhoea and fever, amongst others. These plants have maximum potential for the treatment of infectious diseases, as well as metabolic, respiratory, skin, blood, digestive and circulatory diseases. Conclusion: This study revealed that interviewed informants (market herbalists and traditional healers) had good knowledge of the treatment of several diseases using the 17 plants . . It confirmed that the 17 selected plants are used in the traditional treatment of diarrhoea as well as other diseases. This study provided a database for Future pharmacological investigations on the basis of this ethnobotanical documentation.

Ethanol consumption is a risk factor of male infertility. The use of medicinal plants offers an alternative for the treatment of male infertility in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the Rourea coccinea effect on ethanol-induced male infertility in Wistar rats. Twenty-five (25) male Wistar rats were randomised into five groups of five rats and treated by oesophageal gavage over a 28-day period. Group 1 (negative control) received distilled water; Group 2 (positive control) received 30% ethanol at 7 mg/kg body weight; Group 3 (reference control) received 30% ethanol co-treated with the reference drug, clomiphene citrate; Groups 4 and 5 (test groups) received 30% ethanol co-treated with Rourea coccinea hydro-ethanolic extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively. Testosterone hormone, sperm parameters and testicular histopathology were evaluated. Ethanol treatment induced a significant reduction (p

The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is a common practice in developing countries. However, this unregulated or poorly rational use may present a dose-dependent risk of toxicity to humans. This study aimed to explore the phytochemical and toxicological characteristics of ten (10) plant species used in the traditional treatment of infectious diarrhea in Benin. The acute toxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Daniellia oliveri, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Vernonia amygdalina, Manihot esculenta, Ocimum gratissimum, Senna italica, Diospyros mespiliformis, Pterocarpus erinaceus, and Anacardium occidentale was evaluated following the OECD 423 protocol at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg. This safety test was complemented by a larval cytotoxicity test. Hematological and biochemical examinations, as well as a histological study of the liver and kidneys, were performed. Larval cytotoxicity was assessed by the sensitivity of Artemia salina larvae to different concentrations of the plant extracts studied. Testing for chemical compounds was performed on the basis of differential staining and precipitation reactions. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) was determined by the probit method. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the plants studied revealed the presence of catechic tannins, gallic tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and sterol-terpenes, alkaloids, saponosides, and reducing compounds. This composition varied according to the plants studied. Acute toxicity data indicated that there was no mortality and no structural and functional alterations of the liver and kidneys of treated animals. Larval cytotoxicity data suggest that the plants studied are not cytotoxic (LC50 ≥ 0.1 mg/mL). These observations reflect the safety of these plants and justify their use in traditional medicine in the treatment of many diseases including diarrheal diseases.