[Gallstone biochemical characteristics using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method]. / Caractéristiques biochimiques des lithiases vésiculaires par spectrométrie infrarouge à Abidjan.

This study reports biochemical composition and morphological aspect of gallstones as investigated by spectroscopy IR method. Participants were 24 patients composed of 12 males and 12 females who underwent cholecystectomy with age mean of 44.8 years. The gallstones were classified either as pigments stones (n = 12), cholesterol stones (n = 8) or as mixed stones (n = 4) according to analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectroscopy quantification reported eight stones contained 100% of cholesterol, eight of 100% of calcium bilirubinate, four stones were composed of 65% calcium bilirubinate phosphate and 35% calcium carbonate, and four stones contained 65% cholesterol, 30% neutral calcium bilirubinate, 5% protein and traces of calcium bilirubinate acid. Our findings showed that most gallstones were composed of pigment stones with relative large proportion of cholesterol stones, whereas previous study in Caucasian reported predominance of cholesterol stones. These findings indicate the influence of diet and chronic haemolysis in the stones formation in regard to biochemical composition differences between those found in European area and our results. Therefore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method allowed to determine quality and quantity of biochemical components of gallstones. Therefore, a careful survey must allow knowing the nutritional and environmental factors in the occurrence of gallstones to Côte d'Ivoire, in order to prevent this disease.

[Prevalence of ketotic hypoglycaemia among schoolchildren in the village of Ahoué in Côte-d'Ivoire]. / Prévalence de l'hypoglycémie cétosique chez les enfants d'âge scolaire dans le village d'Ahoué en Côte-d'Ivoire.

To determine the prevalence of ketotic hypoglycemia among schoolchildren, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in preschools and schools in rural areas that involved 102 schoolchildren, from 4 to 7 years old, comprised 51 girls and 51 boys. Index WHZ was used to evaluate the children's nutritional status. The sampling was obtained by a drop of capillary blood in the pulp of the finger. The determination of glucose was realized by glucose oxidase method using an ultra sensitive and fast (One Touch Ultra) glucometer, and ketonuria was detected by dipstick "Ketodiastix." The clinical results revealed that most of children had a normal birth weight with an average of 2.885 g, a good Apgar's score superior to 7, and then the nutritional index WHZ revealed 3% of severe malnutrition and 34% of moderate malnutrition. Ten children (9.8%) had a hypoglycemia with a median of 0.51 g/l and extreme values going from 0.42 to 0.59 g/l. Seven children had a hypoglycemia associated with ketonuria. The prevalence of ketotic hypoglycemia was 7% in this study, and more frequent in the children between 4 and 5 years with 57% of cases in this age group. Thus, this condition, found in Western countries is a reality in Côte d'Ivoire, where the diathesis of malnutrition (37% of the population of the study) is a favorable factor. Therefore, it is useful to prevent protein-energy malnutrition by a balanced food by avoiding fasting before school by diet management.

Nutraceutical and antimicrobial potentials of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean): A review.

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) [BGN] is an easy-to-cultivate vegetable crop neglected over the past years. It is a drought-tolerant crop with nutritional and medicinal values and as a result, the crop is referred to as nutraceuticals. Based on this, there exist a need to review the beneficial potential (nutraceutical value) of this neglected and underutilized crop to protect and promote its cultivation for food (source of nutrients) and medicines especially among rural poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. This review systematically examines the background information and uses of BGN. The antimicrobial properties of BGN were also considered and examined to ascertain its nutraceutical importance. BGN has been reported as a crop possessing antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Clinically, the extracts of BGN have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial activities against bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 33591, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, yeast (Candida albicans) and mold (Aspergillus niger). This review outlines the uses of BGN as a functional food crop as well as its nutraceutical and antimicrobial potentials. However, there exist paucity of knowledge and literature on the crop's antimicrobial activities especially against plant pathogens of economic importance. Hence, this review proposes that more research be geared towards assessing the nutraceutical value and antimicrobial potentials of this crop against plant pathogens of economic importance and the promotion of the crop's cultivation.

[Selenium deficiency and oxidative stress in asymptomatic HIV1-infected patients in Côte d'Ivoire]. / Déficit en sélénium et stress oxydant chez les personnes infectées par le VIH1 cliniquement asymptomatiques en Côte d'Ivoire.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the oxidative stress and selenium status and the antioxidant capacity of asymptomatic HIV1-infected patients in Côte d'Ivoire. This study involved 30 asymptomatic HIV1-infected patients, aged from 18 to 50 years old, selected in CIRBA (Centre Intégré de Recherche Bioclinique d'Abidjan). They were not yet treated by antiretroviral medicine. Oxidative stress indicators MDA (malondialdehyde) and AOPP (advanced oxidation protein products) were measured respectively by spectrofluorimetric method and spectrophotometric method. Selenium, vitamin E and vitamin A concentrations were evaluated according to the HPLC method. Our results show that all patients were deficient in selenium (0.58 +/- 0.12 micromol/L vs 1.80 +/- 0.31 micromol/L, p < 0.0001). Patient Vitamin E plasma level (27.47 +/- 8.33 micromol/L vs 19.10 +/- 5.33 micromol/L, p < 0.0001) and oxidative stress indicators MDA (3.32 +/- 0.40 nmol/L vs 0.99 +/- 0.26 nmol/L p < 0.0001) and AOPP (62.49 +/- 13.75 micromol/L vs 39.49 +/- 21.27 micromol/L p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the infected group. These results reveal a severe selenium deficiency and oxidative stress in VIH1-infected asymptomatic Persons in Côte d'Ivoire.

Interet du dosage de l'homocysteine; de la vitamine B12 et de l'acide folique au cours des maladies cardiovasculaires en Cote d'Ivoire

Objectif : cette etude avait pour objectif d'apprecier les variations des concentrations seriques de l'homocysteine; de la vitamine B12 et de l'acide folique au cours des maladies cardiovasculaires en Cote d'Ivoire. Methodes : il s'agissait d'une etude transversale realisee chez 122 sujets des deux sexes; ages de plus de 18 ans; repartis en deux groupes. Un groupe de 30 sujets apparemment sains et un groupe de 92 patients atteints de maladies cardiovasculaires. Ce dernier groupe se composait comme suit : 30 patients atteints d'hypertension arterielle (HTA); 30 patients atteints d'accident vasculaire cerebral (AVC); 19 patients atteints d'infarctus du myocarde (IDM) et 13 patients atteints de thrombose veineuse peripherique (TVP). Des echantillons de sang ont ete preleves chez les sujets a jeun depuis la veille au soir (12 heures). Les plasmas obtenus apres traitement ont ete separes en aliquotes qui ont servi au dosage de l'homocysteine; de la vitamine B12 et de l'acide folique. Resultats : Au terme de notre etude; nous avons constate que : - la difference entre la proportion de patients atteints d'AVC ayant une hyperhomocysteinemie et celle des sujets sains ayant une hyperhomocysteinemie etait statistiquement significativement avec p=0;0409; - la difference entre la proportion de patients atteints d'IDM ayant une hyperhomocysteinemie et celle des sujets sains ayant une hyperhomocysteinemie etait statistiquement significativement avec p=0;0205; - 52;63 des sujets de l'etude ayant une hyperhomocysteinemie presentaient une carence en acide folique ;- le risque relatif des MCV etait superieur a 2. Conclusion : Cette etude montre que l'hyperhomocysteinemie observee chez les patients atteints de MCV en Cote d'Ivoire est due dans 52;63 des cas a une carence nutritionnelle; notamment en acide folique. Le dosage plasmatique de l'acide folique et de l'homocysteine chez les patients atteints de MCV en particulier et chez l'Ivoirienne en general pourrait aider a la prevention des MCV et reduire les recidives

Bioactivities of Plectranthus ecklonii constituents.

Plectranthus ecklonii Benth. is traditionally used in South Africa for treating stomach aches, nausea, vomiting and meningitis. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the plant led to the isolation of two known compounds, parvifloron D and parvifloron F, neither of which has been previously reported for this species. The compounds exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations of 15.6 and 31.2 microg/mL, respectively against Listeria monocytogenes, whereas the values against a drug-sensitive strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were 190 and 95 microg/mL, respectively. The ethyl acetate extract of P. ecklonii and its isolated compounds were tested for their activity on tyrosinase inhibition. The concentration at which half the tyrosinase activity was inhibited (IC50) by the extract was found to be 61.7 +/- 2.7 microg/mL. The antibacterial activity of the extract and its isolated compounds correlates with the traditional use of the plant for various ailments such as stomach aches, diarrhea and skin diseases. The fifty percent inhibitory concentrations of parvifloron D and parvifloron F against vero cell lines were found to be 2.9 microg/mL and 1.6 microg/mL, respectively. This is the first report of the bioactivity of P. ecklonii extract and its constituents.

Propriétés toxicologiques standard du latex de Calotropis Procera plante medicinale d'Afrique Occidentale

Calotropis procera (Ait.) Ait.f. (Asclepiadacea) est une plante medicinale traditionnelle bien connue dans le monde en general et; particulierement utilisee en Afrique occidentale dans le traitement de nombreuses affections. Dans le cadre des connaissances sur le niveau de toxicite de la plante; nous avons entrepris la presente etude qui a permis d'effectuer un tri phytochimique de son latex et de determiner son niveau de toxicite standard chez le rat OFA (Oncin France Souche A). Quatre vingt (80) rats ont fait l'objet de tests de toxicite realises a partir de l'administration d'une dose unique; de 0;9 ml de solution preparee sur la base de concentrations de plus en plus croissantes de latex. Les resultats des tests phytochimiques ont montre que le latex de C. procera contenait des sterols; des poly phenols; des flavonoides et surtout des alcaloides. La DL50 determinee par la relation de BERHENS et KARBER etait de 2611;75 mg/kg de poids avec une DL5 de 2110 mg/kg et une DL95 de 2950 mg/kg. Le latex de C. procera serait donc tolere par le rat dans l'experimentation. Le rapport DL5/DL95 de 0;71 traduisait l'existence d'une marge entre l'indice therapeutique et l'indice toxicologique du latex de C. procera. Cette plante n'est probablement pas toxique

Evaluation de la creactive proteine (CRP) au cours du paludisme a plasmodium falciparum

OBJECTIF GENERAL: Apprecier les variations de la C.R.P. au cours du paludisme a Plasmodium falciparum confirme. MATERIEL ET METHODES: Etude realisee au laboratoire de Parasitologie et au laboratoire de Biochimie de l'UFR des Sciences Medicales. Il s'agit d'une etude transversale ayant dure 16 mois de septembre 2003 a octobre 2003 l'etude a porte sur 71 patients recrutes aux urgences medicales et pediatriques du CHU de Cocody: elle a regroupe des sujets des deux sexes et de tous les ages; souffrant d'un I paludisme a Plasmodium falciparum confirme. Chaque sujet a beneficie de deux types de prelevements: un pour la goutte epaisse et un autre pour le dosage de la CRP; La recherche des hematozoaires s'est fait systematiquement sur un frottis sanguin et une goutte epaisse coloree au Giemsa. Ce sont exclusivement des trophozoites de Plasmodium falciparum qui ont ete retrouves. RESULTATS ET COMMENTAIRES: Sur les 71 patients de notre etude; 38 (soit 53;5pour cent) sont de sexe masculin et 33 (soit 46;5pour cent); de sexe feminin et la population d'etude est constituee de 43 enfants (soit 60;6pour cent) contre 28 adultes (soit 39;4pour cent). Les variations de la CRP en fonction de la parasitemie: Sur 38 patients du groupe I (parasitemie faible); 21 avaient une CRP elevee contre 17 CRP normale alors que dans le groupe HI (parasitemie tres forte) tous les 12 patients avaient une CRP elevee. La difference observee est tres significative (P= 0;0002). Cela signifie que plus la densite parasitaire est forte; plus la CRP est elevee. En outre; les differents tests statistiques ont montre une correlation entre l'elevation de la CRP et la gravite du paludisme. Ainsi; l'elevation franche de la CRP pourrait constituer un indicateur de la gravite du paludisme en association avec d'autres parametres biologiques et cliniques en vue d'apprecier le taux de morbidite palustre. Mais la CRP ne sauraient en aucun cas remplacer les examens parasitologiques qui assurent avant tout la confirmation diagnostique du paludisme par la recherche des plasmodiums et le calcul de la densite parasitaire