Ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used by Guinean traditional healers in the treatment of malaria.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The objective of the present study was to collect and document information on herbal remedies traditionally used for the treatment of malaria in Guinea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was carried out from May 2008 to September 2010 and targeted traditional medical practitioners and herbalists. The questionnaire and oral interviews were based on the standardized model which was prepared by the "Centre de Recherche et de Valorisation des Plantes Médicinales (CRVPM) - Dubréka". RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 258 people (141 males and 117 females) from which 150 traditional healers and 108 herbalists were interviewed. The age of informants ranged from 28 to 82 years old. 57% (149/258) of the interviewees were more than 50 years old. The respondents had good knowledge of the symptoms of malaria, and a fairly good understanding of the causes. One hundred thirteen plant species were recorded, out of which 109 were identified. They belonged to 84 genera and 46 families. The most frequently cited plants were Vismia guineensis, Parkia biglobosa, Nauclea latifolia, Harungana madagascariensis, Terminalia macroptera, Crossopteryx febrifuga, Terminalia albida, Annona senegalensis, and Nauclea pobeguinii. The leaves were most frequently used (80/113 species), followed by stem bark (38/113 species) and roots (4/113 species). The remedies were mostly prepared by decoction (111 species), followed by maceration (seven species). Only one species was prepared by infusion. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that traditional healers in Guinea have a consistent knowledge of antimalarial plants. Further research should be carried out to compare the anti-malarial activity of the different species, and to check if their use against malaria can be scientifically validated.

Efficacy of essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. and O. gratissimum L. applied as an insecticidal fumigant and powder to control Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.)

Essential oils from sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, and African basil, O. gratissimum, (Labiatae) grown in Guinea were obtained by steam distillation. Following exposure of newly emerged adult beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) to 12h of fumigation using pure essential oils at a dose of 25&mgr;l/vial, 80% mortality was recorded for O. basilicum, 70% for O. gratissimum and 0% in the control. A significant difference was observed between the responses of males and females with males exhibiting greater sensitivity. When 1g of aromatized powder was applied to adults, a 50% lethal concentration at 48h was found to be 65&mgr;l/g for O. basilicum and 116&mgr;l/g of O. gratissimum oils. The essential oils from the two plant species exhibited a significant effect both on the egg hatch rate and on the emergence of adults. The egg hatch rate was reduced to 3% with O. basilicum and 15% with O. gratissimum using an essential oil concentration of 30&mgr;l, whereas the egg hatch rate for the control was 95%. When compared with the control (97%), adult emergence dropped to 0% with O. basilicum and to 4% with O. gratissimum. Storage bioassays were run to assess the long-term effect of powders aromatized with essential oils of Ocimum. Complete protection was observed over 3 months starting at a dose of 400&mgr;l in the case of both oils. From a germination test, it was concluded that aromatized powders have no significant effect on the seed germination rate. After 5d, a rate of 88% germination was seen in seeds treated with aromatized powder and protected from insects, compared with 97% for untreated seeds that were not exposed to insects.

Epidemiologic aspects of scabies in Mali, Malawi, and Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence rates of scabies are compared in Bamako, Mali, Karonga District, Malawi, and Battambang Province, Cambodia. METHODS: In Mali, children attending three different urban schools catering for different socio-economic levels were examined specifically for scabies. In Malawi, data were collected during a total population survey for leprosy. In Cambodia, a sample survey was carried out in a rural area to determine the prevalence of leprosy and other skin diseases. RESULTS: In Mali, the prevalence rate of scabies among all the children examined was 4% (44/1103), but only 1.8% (7/388) in the higher socio-economic group. In Malawi, the overall prevalence rate of scabies was 0.7% (408/61,735). The highest rate (1.1%) was found among children 0-9 years of age. In Cambodia, the overall prevalence in the 13 villages screened was 4.3% (645/14,843). The highest rate (6.5%) was found among children 0-9 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Scabies was most prevalent among children in Cambodia and Malawi, but there were considerable differences in the overall rates between the two areas studied. The data from all three countries indicate that poor socio-economic conditions, in particular crowding and public water supplies, are risk factors for scabies.

Etude Ethnopharmacologique traditionnelle de quelques plantes medicinales antihelmintiques de la Republique de Guinee

La situation generale de la Republique de Guinee en tant que milieu d'etude a ete examinee. Les helminthes parasites intestinaux sont representes d'apres un recensement des especes les plus frequentes qui sont au nombre de 7. Le recensement a ete fait a partir des registres d'examen coprologique des hopitaux de Kouroussa; Kankan; Siguiri et Kerouane (quelques prefectures de la province de Kankan; Haute Guinee). Une investigation ethnobotanique a permis d'obtenir une liste synoptique de 89 especes de plantes medicinales qui ont ete ensuite etudiees