Anti-Fibrotic Effects of Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br Roots Barks against Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatic Fibrosis in Rats

Background: Liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer are now a public health problem. In 2002, cirrhosis accounted for 27.63% of hepatobiliary diseases in Burkina Faso. In Africa and more particularly in Burkina Faso, the majority of the population (about 80%) uses medicinal plants for their primary health care. Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br (Apocynaceae) is a medicinal plant used in Burkina Faso in the treatment of liver problems. This work aims to evaluate the anti-fibrotic properties of Calotropis procera roots barks. Methods: The anti-fibrotic activity of the ethanolic extract of Calotropis procera roots barks was evaluated using diethylnitrosamine (DEN) to induce liver fibrosis in male Wistar rats. Serum biomarkers, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Total protein, Albumin, Υ-Glutamyl transferase (GGT) were evaluated and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide dismutase and catalase) as well as the level of malonedialdehyde (MDA) and that of nitric oxide (NO) were determined in the liver homogenate. Results: The treatment of rats suffering from hepatic fibrosis with the ethanolic extract leads to a significant restoration of the biomarkers of the hepatic function in particular, AST, ALP, GGT, Albumin. The extract also causes a reduction in oxidative stress in the liver through a significant increase in the activity rate of the antioxidant enzymes Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase accompanied by a significant drop in the rate of MDA and NO suggesting the anti-oxidant effect of extract. Conclusion: The results of the study show that the ethanolic extract of the roots barks of Calotropis procera has anti-fibrotic properties.

Characterization of Seed Storage Proteins in Eight Bambara Groundnut Landraces in Burkina Faso

The Bambara groundnut Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. is a drought-resistant indigenous African grain legume with significant nutritional and agronomic potential. This study aimed to characterize the seed storage proteins of eight Bambara groundnut landraces. Seeds of Bambara groundnut landraces were collected from local markets in Burkina Faso, and total soluble protein as well as protein fractions were extracted. Crude protein content was determined by the Kjeldahl method, and soluble proteins were quantified using Bradford dye binding assay. The average crude protein content of the seeds was found to be 18.46%, with variations ranging from 17.69% to 19.17% among the different landraces. Most of the protein content was soluble, constituting approximately 87.04% of the total crude protein. Albumin fraction was the most dominant, representing about 95.42% of the total soluble proteins. The globulin, prolamin and glutelin fractions accounted for 1.82%, 0.13% and 1.17% of the soluble proteins, respectively. The findings provide valuable insights into the protein composition of Bambara groundnut landraces and contribute to our understanding of its nutritional potential, laying the groundwork for further research on crop improvement and sustainable agriculture practices.