As palm oil has been qualified as atherogen, we have studied the impact of its consumption on changes of lipid and lipoprotein profiles of young Ivorian healthy subjects living in rural areas. It is a descriptive cross-sectional analytical study of about 120 Ivorian subjects aged 18 to 30 years, including 65 regular consumers of palm oil and 55 subjects consuming that oil periodically as control subjects. Serum concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL cholesterols and lipoprotein (a) were measured by enzyme conventional methods. The TC serum varied not significantly in both subjects' groups as the triglycerides and HDL-C did. In addition, 58.46% of palm oil consumers had hypoLDLemia. The serum concentration of lipoprotein (a) was not significantly elevated (p> 0.05) with consumers compared to controls: 33.85% versus 29.09%, p = 0.55. The percentage of subjects with normal serum concentrations is higher in all the studied parameters, with both that is the consumers and the controls, except LDL cholesterol, of which the percentage of subjects with a lower value is the highest (58.46% for consumers and 52.73% for controls). This study has shown that the consumption of palm oil did not alter the lipid and lipoprotein profile of the consumer, on the contrary, this consumption revealed a decrease in cholesterol levels with these subjects.

Gastro-duodenal ulcers are diseases that constitute a major public health problem all over the world and particularly in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity and gastric anti-ulcer activity of an aqueous extract of the leaves of Macaranga barteri (AEMb). Acute toxicity was carried out using the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines 420. The anti-ulcer activity of AEMb was evaluated using four models of gastric ulcer induction which are HCl/ethanol solution, ibuprofen solution, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress in rats. The parameters assessed were mucus production, ulcer surface, ulcer index, pH, acid concentration and volume of gastric contents. Cimetidine, aluminium hydroxide and ranitidine were used as anti-ulcer standard drugs. The results of this preventive gastric anti-ulcer study revealed that for doses ranging from 62.5 to 500 mg/kg body weight (b.w), AEMb dose dependently prevented gastric lesion formation (p<0.001) in the four models. The inhibition values were 98.96, 94.11, 90.73 and 96.89% on ulcerations induced respectively by HCl/ethanol, ibuprofen, pylorus ligation and cold restraint stress at the dose of 500 mg/kg b.w. This cytoprotective action was accompanied by a significant increase in gastric mucus production. These results suggested that the preventive anti-ulcer activity of AEMb may be due to a cytoprotective effect. The median acute toxicity LD 50 value of AEMb was higher than 5000 mg/kg b.w. This extract was classified as nontoxic in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Phytochemical compounds such as polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, sterols and polyterpenes found out in AEMb could be responsible for its effects. In conclusion, the antigastric ulcer and the non-toxic effects of the aqueous extract of M. barteri could justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastro-duodenal ulcers.

Objective: Justicia flava is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of frictions, convulsions, body aches, pains, and fever. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory properties of an aqueous extract of J. flava (AEJf) in rats. Methods: Thus, 36 rats were divided into six groups of six rats each for each test. Acute anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by induction of plantar edema following injections of egg albumin, carrageenan, or histamine. AEJf and aspirin (100 mg/kg bw) were orally administered to rats with doses ranged from 62.5 to 500 mg/kg bw before (preventive study) and after (curative study) the induction of edema. The rat’s paw edema was measured using a digital caliper thereafter. For a sub-chronic anti-inflammatory activity, sterilized cotton pellets (20±0.5 mg) were implanted in the anterior dorsal region for granuloma formation. Animals received the different doses of AEJf (62.5–500 mg/kg bw) for 7 days and on the 8th day, cotton pellets were removed and weighed, dried, and weighed again. Results: The results of the oral administration of AEJf at doses of 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg bw to rats showed similar acute anti-inflammatory properties such as aspirin (100 mg/kg bw) on carrageenan (1%), fresh egg albumin, and histamine injection-induced rats’ paw edema. AEJf caused 77.63% (preventive study) and 28.1% (curative study) inhibitions of carrageenan (1%) solution-induced paw edema and 61% (preventive study) and 29.62% (curative study) inhibitions of fresh egg albumin-induced paw edema. AEJf also inhibited histamine-induced edema (1 mg/mL) by 83.67% compared to the control group. AEJf significantly reduced the weight of granuloma tissue elicited by the insertion of sterile cotton pellets from 34.53 to 46.98% for wet cottons and from 45.73 to 59.45% for dry cottons. Conclusion: AEJf possessed anti-inflammatory activity on acute and sub-chronic inflammations in rats.

Introduction: Sacoglottis gabonensis (Baille) Urban (Humiriaceae) is a medicinal plant used in the treatment of Buruli ulcer in Ivory Coast. To ensure its effect over a long period of use, the subchronic toxicity of the total aqueous extract of S. gabonensis stem bark (ETASg) in rats was evaluated. Methods: 80 rats were homogeneously distributed in 4 lots of 20 rats each, including 10 males and 10 females. ETASg was administered daily orally for 90 days for 2 mL/100 g body weight (b.w.) rats at doses of 3.5; 35 and 350 mg/kg b.w. The control group received distilled water. A venous blood sample is taken every 30 days for 90 days to determine serum biochemical parameters.

Piliostigma reticulatum (Caesalpiniaceae) has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders like diarrhea. The aim of the present study was to examine the relaxant activity of an extract of P. reticulatum stem bark and five of its fractions on isolated rabbit duodenum. Segments of duodenum of rabbits were suspended in an organ bath. The ethanol extract had been fractioned to obtain some fractions heptane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and aqueous extract. The ethanol extract and the dichloromethane fraction were tested on the contraction of rabbit duodenum at the increasing concentrations. Increasing concentrations of P. reticulatum ethanol extract and its fraction induced a relaxant effect on spontaneous rabbit duodenum. The ethanol extract reduced duodenum contraction totally at 1.32 mg/mL at IC50 = 0.62 mg/mL. At the test concentration of 0.52mg/mL in organ bath, the dichloromethane fraction showed a relaxation of 100% (IC50 = 0.24 mg/mL). Piliostigma reticulatum stem bark possesses antispasmodic properties that can at least explain and support its traditional use against diarrhea.