Aims: The Carapa procera species is used of traditional for its antimicrobial properties especially for the skin. Its oil is used for various applications including the production of soaps used for personal hygiene and other skin conditions. The purpose of this study is to assess the antibacterial properties of soaps formulated from the oil of this species. Place and Duration of Study: The units of organic biological chemistry and structural organic chemistry of the UFR Structural Sciences of Matter and Technology (Université Félix Houphouet-Boigny) for the manufacture of soaps and the bacteriology unit of the Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire for bioassays between January 2019 and February 2020. Methodology: The antibacterial evaluation was carried out by the disc method on nutrient agars with determination of bacterial parameters (MIC and MBC). Discs of usuals antibiotics (Tetracycline, Rifampicin and Ampicillin) were used as a control to assess this activity as well as a commercially soap. Results:  The inhibition diameters obtained from these different test soaps vary from 16.00 - 17.15 mm; 15.75 - 17.70 mm and 20.33 - 24.00 mm respectively on growth of the bacterial strains E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Unlike unscented soaps, scented soaps have the best inhibition diameter zones values. Moreover, the best MBC values (25 mg/mL) are obtained with the 2 soaps in fresh or aged state on the S. aureus strain against 50 mg/mL on the 2 other strains. In addition, with the exception of the E. coli strain which is resistant to Tetracycline, the 2 other strains are sensitive to all the antibiotics tested. In addition, this study also shows variability in the effect of soaps on these targets. Conclusion: Soaps formulated from Carapa procera oil do indeed possess antibacterial properties that could justify its usage against dermatoses in traditional medicine.

Introduction: In Côte d'Ivoire, there is an imbalance between the dietary intake and the nutritional requirements of school-aged children. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of food diversification, namely sweet potato, soya and cowpea, on vitamin A, D and E profiles among school-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire. Methodology: This study was conducted over eight months (from October 2017 to May 2018). It included 240 school-aged children (6 - 12 years old) who were divided into four groups of 60 pupils. These children consumed food at school canteens in 12 localities of the Nawa region. Four types of meals were proposed: rice with fish (Group 1 control), sweet potato porridge accompanied by green soybean (Group 2), sweet potato porridge accompanied by white cowpea (Group 3), and sweet potato porridge accompanied by cowpea with soya balls (Group 4). Three blood samples were collected: Phase 0 (prior to the consumption of the meals), Phase 1 (sampling taken three months later) and Phase 2 (sampling taken six months later). Blood assay for vitamins A, D and E was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Before the children consumed food at the canteen (phase 0), a sufficient amount of vitamins A, D and E was observed, except for group 4 where a deficiency of vitamin D (<30 ng/mL) was noted. The levels of vitamins A and D decreased in groups 1, 2 and 3 from phase 0 to phase 2. However, they increased in children of group 4 from 0.5 to 0.8 mg/L and from 22 to 28 ng/mL respectively. The vitamin E level increased in all groups from phase 0 to phase 2. The improvement in vitamin E status was more remarkable in the children of group 2 and group 4 with levels varying from 8.5 to 11.8 mg/L and 8.3 to 10.6 mg/L respectively. Conclusion: Improvements in vitamin A, D, and E status were more pronounced in children who ate sweet potato, soybean, and cowpea meal compared to their mean concentration at the beginning of the study. The sweet potato, soybean, and cowpea-based meal could be chosen as a means of food diversification in school canteens in order to improve the vitamin status of school-aged children.

The objective of this work was to study the impact of food diversification based on sweet potato, soybean, and cowpea on the prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI) in school-aged children in the Nawa region. This study took place from October 2017 to May 2018 among 240 pupils aged 6 to 12, divided into four groups of 60. Four types of meals were proposed: rice with tomato soup and fish (group 1), sweet potato porridge enriched with green soybeans (group 2), sweet potato porridge enriched with white cowpea (group 3), or sweet potato porridge accompanied by white cowpea with green soybeans (group 4). There were three blood samples: before eating meals (phase 0), the end of the first trimester (phase 1), and the end of the second trimester (phase 2). Blood assay for C-reactive protein (CRP), orosomucoid, albumin, and prealbumin was performed using COBAS c311 analyzer. PINI was calculated. Groups 3 and 4 showed a slight increase in albumin values (42.24 ± 0.95 g/L and 41.51 ± 1.71 g/L, respectively) compared to group 1. CRP decreased from phase 1 for group 1 (2.06 ± 0.26 mg/L) and group 4 (2.38 ± 0.36 mg/L). Orosomucoid increased insignificantly (p > 0.05) in group 3 (0.74 ± 0.04 g/L) and group 4 (0.71 ± 0.04 g/L). PINI was reduced by 0.37 (group 1), 0.36 (group 2), 0.46 (group 3) and 0.44 (group 4). Food diversification based on sweet potato and white cowpea has a positive impact on PINI in more than 80% of pupils.