Traditional Healer’s Medicinal Practice Survey and Clinical Evidence Assessment of “YIKI”: An Antimalarial Phytomedicine Recipe from Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

YIKI is an antimalarial phytomedicine used by a traditional healer to treat malaria in Bobo-Dioulasso. However, there is no scientific evidence to support its use by local populations. The aim of this study was to identify the medicinal practices of the healer holder of YIKI and assess the clinical evidence of its phytomedicine in the uncomplicated malaria treatment. Ethnomedical survey based on a semi-structured and open questionnaire was conducted from October to December 2019 with the healer. Malaria knowledge and diagnosis methods, patient treatment and monitoring, and recipe formulation steps were surveyed. Moreover, thick and thin blood smears were taken, haemoglobin levels and temperature of consenting patients were measured before treatment, mid-treatment and at the end of treatment. The survey revealed that the healer has a good knowledge of malaria symptoms and his diagnosis is based on observation and physical examination of patients. The healer’s malaria diagnosis was rudimentary and had accuracy problems, with only 62.79% of malaria cases confirmed by microscopy. The formulation of YIKI and its use to treat malaria follow a standard process for plant harvesting, powder quantities and posology, but do not use any reproducible parameters for dose adjustment. Forty-three patients diagnosed and treated by the healer participated in the study. Laboratory results revealed 27 Plasmodium falciparum infection cases, including 2 with parasitaemia ≥ 200,000 p/µl blood. 25 patients were selected for therapeutic evidence assessment. There was a 48% elimination of parasites, a 28% parasitaemia decrease without complete cure, with gametocytogenesis in some patients, and a 24% parasitaemia increase. Haemoglobin and temperature results suggested that YIKI was not cytotoxic and reduced fever. Encouraging preliminary results have been obtained, but in view of the low number of patients, further YIKI efficacy and toxicity studies will be necessary for patient safety.

Reducing Effect of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R. Br. ex G. Don Fruit Pulp on Food Intake in Healthy NMRI Mice

Obesity is a chronic condition characterised by excess body fat that leads to increased body weight. One of the most effective ways to treat obesity is to use appetite suppressants to reduce food intake. This study aimed to evaluate in vivo reduction of food intake and weight gain caused by Parkia biglobosa (Pb) fruit pulp. Twenty-four healthy NMRI mice divided into four groups were used for the experiment. Group 1, considered the negative control, received distilled water. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were administered daily with 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight of Pb fruit pulp powder suspension, respectively. The reduction in food intake was assessed in two phases: acute food intake for one day (24 h) and long-term food intake for seven weeks. Nutrient parameters and phenolic compounds in Pb fruit pulp were quantified. The results showed that Pb fruit pulp had a significant effect on reducing acute food intake. At a dose of 250 mg/kg, Pb had the best activity in reducing acute food intake, with an overall reduction rate of approximately 47.98% ± 1.17% compared to the control. Repeated daily administration inhibited food intake with all three doses for 13 days compared to control. Food intake was significantly decreased for up to 31 days by taking a 100 mg/kg dose of Pb (p = 0.0174). Weight gain was significantly lower (p = 0.0003) in mice treated with 100 mg/kg Pb than in controls at the end of 7 weeks. According to the nutritional composition study, Pb fruit pulp contains an abundance of total carbohydrates (68.81% ± 0.32%) and crude fiber (14.35% ± 0.21%). This study demonstrated that Pb fruit pulp effectively reduces food intake in healthy mice. Pb pulp’s richness in crude fiber and phenolic compounds makes it a potential aid in managing obesity.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Appetite Suppressant Plants Used in Hauts-Bassins Areas of Burkina Faso

This study aimed to list the medicinal plants used as an appetite suppressant in Hauts-Bassins areas of Burkina Faso. An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken from September to November 2021 using a semi-structured questionnaire. To determine well-known families and species, some indices such as Family Importance Value (FIV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were calculated respectively. Sixty-seven traditional healers (41 men and 26 women) have been interviewed. The age group from 41 to 60 years old was more represented (47.76%). Fifty-eight (58) plant species belonging to 29 families and 53 genera were recorded to have appetite suppressant properties. Fabaceae family (25%) was the most mentioned followed by Combretaceae (12%). The most mentioned species were Guierasenegalensis (7.64%), Parkiabiglobosa (6.18%), Annona senegalensis and Gardenia erubescens (5.35% for both). Leaves and fruits had the highest frequencies of use with 41% and 25% respectively. The decoction (49.62%) was the main preparation method. The oral route was the only mode of drug administration. These results would contribute to strengthening the database on the medicinal plants used as an appetite suppressant by the traditional healers in Burkina Faso.

Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R. Br. Ex G. Don Fruit Pulp Supplementation in the Diet of Local Chickens in Burkina Faso: Effects on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation of Parkia biglobosa fruit pulp flour in the CPAVI chicken ration on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of local chickens. This study involved 50 local chicks of eight weeks of age. Chickens were divided into 5 groups of 10 chicks corresponding to five experimental rations containing 0%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% pulp from fruits of P. biglobosa. The nutritional composition of P. biglobosa fruit pulps were analyzed, then growth parameters and carcass characteristics were measured. The results showed that the fruit pulps of P. biglobosa were rich in metabolizable energy (4015.02 ± 0.21 Kcal/kg), crude fiber (16.88% ADF and 19.81% NDF) and potassium (2.45% ± 0.01%). Thus, the group of local chickens fed the diet containing 1% supplementation had a significantly higher live weight (1200.85 g) and carcass yield (91.99 g) (P supplementation. Additionally, individual feed consumption and average daily gain of the group at 1% supplementation were higher. In short, the flour from the pulp of the fruit of Parkia biglobosa can be supplemented up to 1% in the CPAVI pullet type feed for local chickens.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Capacities of Two Medicinal Plants Used against Urinary Infections in Burkina Faso

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities of extracts from Euphorbia hirta L. and Terminalia avicennioides GUILL & PERR. Methodology: The crude hydro-acetonic and aqueous extracts as well their fractionations were prepared. The total phenolic, flavonoids and tannins contents were assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and vanillin acid methods, respectively. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities were investigated using standard methods. Results: Euphorbia hirta showed significant contents of total phenolic and flavonoids in n-Butanol (145.14 ± 1.37 GAE/100mg extracts) and ethyl acetate (23.56 ± 0.68 mg QE/ 100mg extracts) fractions. Total tannins were high in hydro-acétonique extract (11.18 ± 0.31 mg TAE/100mg extracts) and aqueous fraction (11.12 ± 0.28 mg TAE/100mg extracts) of Terminalia avicennioides stem barks. Extracts and fractions of both plants demonstrated a strongly antioxidant capacity through the free radicals scavenging and the ferric ions reducing. Concerning antimicrobial screening the extracts of Terminalia avicennioides were effective against 16 causative pathogens of urinary tract infections. Bactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Staphylococcus aureus and 2 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains was found with aqueous fraction of Terminalia avicennioides leaves. This fraction also highlighted a synergetic effect with some antibiotics used against these bacterial strains. Conclusion: Terminalia avicennioides leaves could be recommended as an herbal drug formulation for the urinary infections management.

A Review on Bioactive Compounds Isolated from Euphorbia hirta L.

Euphorbia hirta L. is an annual medicinal herb throughout many tropical continents used to cure various diseases. Several studies have isolated many bioactive compounds from E. hirta. This study aimed at providing a collection of bioactive constituents in E. hirta. This review summarizes the extraction solvent, the structures and the properties of 38 bioactive phytochemicals isolated from E. hirta. It could help to understand the relationship existing between phytochemicals and their activities.