Aim::This study aimed to report medicinal plants that are likely to be used in the control of salmonellosis.Materials and Methods::A cross-sectional study was conducted in Southern Benin. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 150 farmers and 100 traditional therapists in seven high municipalities. This step helped to collect plants that are used in the treatment of animal salmonellosis and typhoid fever in human.Results::The results revealed a low level of use of medicinal plants among breeders who prefer antibiotics such as oxytetracycline (53.55%), tylosine + sulfadimerazine (15.30%), and alphaceryl (19.13%). However, plants such as Moringa oleifera (leaves), Carica papaya (leaves and seeds), and Vernonia amygdalina (leaves) were mostly used by some farmers. From traditional therapists, 57 plant species of 32 families were identified as typhoid fever cures; among which Leguminosae, Asteraceae, and Euphorbiaceae were predominant. Persea americana (22.72%), V. amygdalina (7.57%), and Corchorus olitorius (7.57%) were the most cited by traditherapists for the treatment of typhoid fever in human.Conclusion::This study provides a database for further studies on the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Benin plant species on Salmonella spp. These evaluations will guarantee the availability of new therapeutic solutions for populations.

Cases of HIV are common in Benin, with infection rates varying according to socioeconomic and cultural factors, and by region. Certain segments of the population, such as prison inmates, sex worker clients and truck drivers are at high risk for HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study is to identify which behavioral and serological indicators contribute to the spread of HIV among prisoners. A total of 496 inmates from prisons located in all major cities in Benin were surveyed. Data was collected through interview sessions carried out using a questionnaire and through blood samples. The results show that most inmates are Beninese (83.5%), and the average age is 33 years (range: 14-80 years). No prisoner reported using a condom the last time they engaged in sexual intercourse. Blood exposure was found in 14.6% of inmates and HIV was detected in 1.4% of cases. Our analysis indicates that the length of detention and gender are factors that influence HIV status. However, age, education, nationality and HIV awareness had no significant effect on HIV prevalence among inmates. The results highlight the need to raise awareness in prisons about HIV. This can be achieved by strengthening communication strategies and by organizing HIV and sexually transmitted diseases information sessions for both prison officers and inmates.

SummaryObjectives. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial and chemical properties of some medicinal plants used in the fight against enteropathogens in Benin.Methods. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Senna siamea, Uvaria chamae, Lantana camara and Phyllantus amarus were tested on 10 bacterial strains. Well diffusion technique, coupled with the microdilution determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (CMB) was used for antibacterial testing. The larval cytotoxicity was evaluated by using Artemia salina crustacean larvae. flavonoids and polyphenols were also assayed by the method using aluminum trichloride (AlCl3) and the method using the folin-Ciocalteu reagent, respectively.Results. The results of the study revealed that extracts had an effective antibacterial activity at 100 mg/mL, with MIC between 100 and 25 mg/mL and CMB between 100 and 50 mg/mL. The inhibition diameters of the extracts varied between 7.5 and 21 mm. The ethanolic extract of Phyllantus amarus leaves showed the best antibacterial activity. None of the extracts tested was found to be cytotoxic at the dose of 20 mg/mL. The aqueous Uvaria chamae root extract has the highest polyphenol content (231.896552±0.27586207 in μg EAG/100 mg extract), whereas the aqueous leaf extract of Uvaria chamae is the richest in flavonoids (41.061082 0.43180737 in μg ER/100 mg of extract).Conclusions. These interesting results can be used in the development of improved traditional medicines against enteropathogens. IntroductionInfections caused by enteropathogens are serious forms of infectious pathology. They are a major public health problem that causes millions of deaths a year. This is the case, for example, of foodborne illnesses, causing 17 million deaths a year worldwide, more than half of which come from the African continent (37). Diarrheal diseases are also the cause of 550 million patients each year, including 220 million children under 5 years of age (37). Salmonella, shigella and klebsielles are amongst others epidemiologically active enterobacteria involved in serious infectious diseases.Health management of enteropathogenic diseases is achieved through the use of antibiotics, but their inadequate and often anarchic use has resulted in bacterial resistance (24,36). Indeed, recent data from the bibliography abound with descriptions of bacteria that are multiresistant or even toto-resistant to antibiotics. The number of these bacteria is increasing in both industrialized and developing countries (32). This development of microbial resistance to antibiotics has led researchers to carry out alternative investigations to identify other effective natural remedies against various pathologies in the plant kingdom (18). It has therefore proved essential to look for new antibacterial substances that are effective and have a broad spectrum of action. One of the effective strategies for this research is to explore plants used in traditional Correspondence: Victorien T. Dougnon, Lecturer-Researcher in Microb...

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.

Background: Uvaria chamae (Annonaceae), Phyllantus amarus (Phyllantaceae) and Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) are empirically alleged to be used as Beninese medicinal plants in the treatment of salmonellosis. This study aimed to produce scientific data on in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Uvaria chamae, Lantana camara and Phyllantus amarus on multiresistant Salmonella spp isolated in Benin. Results: After performing in vitro tests on aqueous and ethanolic extracts of these plants, only the aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae (leaves) showed the best anti-Salmonella's activity and was used for this in vivo experiment. The induction of salmonellosis revealed 9 × 10 8 CFU/ml was the optimal concentration triggering and maintaining symptoms in chicks. This infective concentration was used for in vivo assessment. Twenty-four hours post inoculation, the symptoms of salmonellosis (wet cloaca, diarrhea stools and somnolence) were observed in infected groups. After 7 days of treatment, the reduction of bacterial load at 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L, 400 mg/L of the extract was respectively 85%, 52.38% and 98% for Uvaria chamae, Phyllantus amarus and Lantana camara in the chick's groups infected with Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028. On the other hand, colistin completely cancelled the bacterial load (reduction rate of 100%). With the groups infected with Salmonella spp (virulent strain), the reduction rate of bacterial load at 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L, 400 mg/L of extract was 0%, 98.66%, and 99.33%. The extracts at 200 and 400 mg/L were more active than colistin, which reduced the bacterial load by 33.33%. The toxicity tests did not show any negative effect of Colistin and the Uvaria chamae's extract on the biochemical and hematological parameters of the chicks. Conclusion:The aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae is active in vitro and in vivo on multiresistant strains of Salmonella enterica. This plant is a good candidate for the development of an improved traditional medicine for the management of salmonellosis.