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Piliostigma reticulatum (Caesalpiniaceae) is used in Africa as a traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhoea. We investigated the antidiarrhoeal properties of a crude ethanol extract from the stem bark of Piliostigma reticulatum (EEPR) in Wistar albino rats to substantiate its traditional use and to determine its phytochemical constituents. The antidiarrhoeal activity of the plant extract was evaluated in a castor oil-induced diarrhoea model in rats and compared with loperamide. The effect of the extract on gastrointestinal motility was also determined by the oral administration of charcoal meal and castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling). EEPR showed remarkable dose-dependent antidiarrhoeal activity evidenced by a reduction of defecation frequency and change in consistency. Extracts at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight significantly reduced diarrhoeal faeces. EEPR also significantly inhibited gastrointestinal motility and castor oil-induced enteropooling at 500 and 1000 mg/kg, similar to the inhibition obtained in control rats treated by atropine. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, polyphenols and reducing sugars in the stem bark of P. reticulatum. No mortality or visible signs of general weakness were observed in the rats following administration of the crude extract in doses up to 6000 mg/kg body weight in an acute toxicity study. Our results show that the stem bark of P. reticulatum possesses antidiarrhoeal activity and strongly suggest that its use in traditional medicine practice could be justified.

RESUMESacoglottis gabonensis est une plante médicinale qui est utilisée dans le traitement traditionnel de l'ulcère de Buruli en Côte d'Ivoire. En vue d'établir l'innocuité de ce traitement, des tests de toxicité aiguë et subaiguë ont été réalisés. A cet effet, la DL 50 a été déterminée chez la souris, ainsi que les paramètres hématologiques et biochimiques après administration répétée des doses de 3,5 ; 35 et 350 mg/kg de pc de l'extrait aqueux de Sacoglottis gabonensis à des rats pendant 28 jours. La DL 50 obtenue a été supérieure à 5000 mg/kg de pc et l'extrait aqueux a été sans effet sur la plupart des paramètres sanguins dosés. Ces études ont révélé que l'extrait total aqueux de Sacoglottis gabonensis est atoxique à toutes les doses testées.

Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography of globin chains is an important additional tool in the study of hemoglobin abnormalities. Using a technique modified from that of Leone et al.,[1] we report here the relative chromatographic behavior of about 200 different hemoglobin variants. This method provides an additional dimension in the presumptive characterization of hemoglobin variants. It was also found to be of special value for measuring the expression of neutral variants, such as thalassemic or unstable hemoglobins, and to identify neutral mutations associated with another variant, resulting in unusual hematological presentations.

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