Background. Herbal medication is a worldwide and ancient practice, mostly in developing countries, where a large part of the population is involved in this practice. Hence, studies must be conducted to evaluate their safety and efficiency to avoid or prevent toxicological risks due to their usage. In Togo, Carissa spinarum is a medicinal plant belonging to Apocynaceae family, used as an aphrodisiac or to heal some ailments including malaria, sickle cell anemia, hypertension, pain, and asthma. Notwithstanding its several ethnomedicinal benefits, just a few toxicological data associated with its chronic use are available. Objective. Therefore, this study aims to assess the toxicity of an ethanolic root extract of Carissa spinarum in Wistar rats. Methods. The 90-day oral toxicity process following OECD TG 408 guidelines is used. Male Wistar rats received Carissa spinarum root hydroethanolic extract at 500 and 1000 mg/kg for 90 days by oral gavage. Body weight changes, hematological and blood biochemical parameters, organ weight changes, malondialdehyde as a lipoperoxidation marker expressed according to tissue proteins, and histopathology of vital organs were assessed. Results. No signs of toxicity or mortality were observed during the 90 days experiment. Hematological parameters have not shown any treatment-related abnormalities. According to biochemical parameters, an increase in the chloride ion level was observed at 1000 mg/kg p<0.01. There was no significant difference between the treated groups and the control group concerning the malondialdehyde concentration, body weight, and organ relative weight. No changes in necropsy and histopathology of vital organs associated with extract treatment were observed. Conclusion. The results indicated that an ethanolic root extract of Carissa spinarum does not cause adverse effects, which can lead to Wistar rats' death after 90-day oral administration at 500 and 1000 mg.

Background: Aloe buettneri, Mitracarpus scaber and Hannoa undulata are three plants species used in the Togolese traditional medicine to cure dermatosis. This study aims at assessing their anti-oxidant and anti-microbial activities on acne-developing micro-organisms. Methods: Six micro-organisms including Cutibacterium acnes ATCC 6919, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603; Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213; and Candida albicans ATCC 35659 were used. Inhibition diameter was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory and minimum microbicidal concentrations have been achieved through the liquid dilution method. Anti-oxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH antiradical scaving and FRAP methods. Phytochemical screening was also realized. Results: All the microorganism’s strains tested, excepted Candida albicans and Escherichia coli, were susceptible to plants extracts at 250 mg/mL in the agar well diffusion assay with inhibition diameters ranging from 12.10 ± 0.07 to 18.20 ± 0.10 mm. The MICs values were comprised between 15.625 mg/mL and 62.5 mg/mL, when MMCs ranged from 31.25 to 125 mg/mL. At the concentration of 500 µg/mL, the scavenging properties on DPPH radicals were 49.20 ± 0.15% for H. undulata, 41.29 ± 0.51% for A. buettneri, 59.57 ± 0.41% for M. scaber and 87.22 ± 0.03% for Quercetin. For FRAP assay, the effective concentration (EC50) of A. buettneri, M. scaber and H. undulata extracts were 977.44 ± 1.13 µg/mL; 267.74 ± 10.13 µg/mL and, 272.54 ± 12.87 µg/mL respectively while quercetin presented the EC50 of 48.63 ± 2.00 µg/mL. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of these species might be required to the presence of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, triterpenes, saponoside and alkaloids identified by phytochemical screening. Conclusion: The three plants extracts are all potential natural antimicrobial and antioxidant candidates for treating acne vulgaris. Keywords: Aloe buettneri, Mitracarpus scaber, Hannoa undulata, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, phytochemical screening, Acne vulgaris

Cochlospermum planchonii is traditionally used in Togo in treating several diseases, including burn wounds which achievement requires anti-infective and good cicatrisation processes. This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of hydroethanolic extracts from leaves and roots of C. planchonii and its phytochemical composition. Five (05) bacterial strains were suspended in liquid media with plant extracts at various concentrations and then spread, after 24 h incubation, on solid media. The minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimal microbicidal (MMC) concentrations were assessed. Phytochemical characterization tests were performed and flavonoids, tannins and total phenol contents were also determined. Hydroethanolic extracts from the leaves and roots of C. planchonii were active on all the germs tested, with MICs ranging from 0.782 to 50 mg/mL and MMCs ranging from 1.563 to 100 mg/mL. The bests activities were recorded with root extract against Staphylococcus aureus: MIC=0.782 mg/mL and MMC =1.563 mg/mL. The MMC/MIC ratios are all equal to 2, indicating that both roots and leaves have bactericidal activities rather than inhibitory activities. Phytochemical tests have demonstrated the presence of metabolites such as flavonoids, tannins, carbohydrates, sterols, triterpenes, saponosides, and an absence of alkaloids. Total phenols, tannins and total flavonoids amounts found were respectively 85.466 ± 0.289; 33.566 ± 0.503; 218.333 ± 0.577 µgRE/mg in root extracts, and 75.833 ± 0.289; 26.533 ± 0,053; 183.666 ± 0.577 µgRE/mg in leaf extracts. Both root and leaf hydroethanolic extracts of C. planchonii could be potential natural antimicrobial remedies. Key words: Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial activity, Cochlospermum planchonii, flavonoids, tannins. Cochlospermum planchonii is traditionally used in Togo in treating several diseases, including burn wounds which achievement requires anti-infective and good cicatrisation processes. This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of hydroethanolic extracts from leaves and roots of C. planchonii and its phytochemical composition. Five (05) bacterial strains were suspended in liquid media with plant extracts at various concentrations and then spread, after 24 h incubation, on solid media. The minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimal microbicidal (MMC) concentrations were assessed. Phytochemical characterization tests were performed and flavonoids, tannins and total phenol contents were also determined. Hydroethanolic extracts from the leaves and roots of C. planchonii were active on all the germs tested, with MICs ranging from 0.782 to 50 mg/mL and MMCs ranging from 1.563 to 100 mg/mL. The bests activities were recorded with root extract against Staphylococcus aureus: MIC=0.782 mg/mL and MMC =1.563 mg/mL. The MMC/MIC ratios are all equal to 2, indicating that both roots and leaves have bactericidal activities rather than inhibitory activities. Phytochemical tests have demonstrated the presence of metabolites such as flavonoids, tannins, carbohydrates, sterols, triterpenes, saponosides, and an absence of alkaloids. Total phenols, tannins and total flavonoids amounts found were respectively 85.466 ± 0.289; 33.566 ± 0.503; 218.333 ± 0.577 µgRE/mg in root extracts, and 75.833 ± 0.289; 26.533 ± 0,053; 183.666 ± 0.577 µgRE/mg in leaf extracts. Both root and leaf hydroethanolic extracts of C. planchonii could be potential natural antimicrobial remedies. Key words: Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial activity, Cochlospermum planchonii, flavonoids, tannins.

Medicinal plants remain good sources of remedies both in traditional and modern medicine. The present study aimed to evaluate ex vivo and in vitro neuroprotective effects of Sterculia setigera, a medicinal plant of Togolese flora. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate was assayed ex vivo using the combination of ascorbic acid and FeCl2 as prooxidants. In vitro anti-inflammatory tests consisted in the evaluation of inhibition of albumin denaturation and red blood cells hemolysis. DPPH tests, FRAP test and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the hydroethanolic extract of S. setigera were realized. Quantitative determination of total phenols, flavonoids and tannins was also performed. S. setigera hydroethanolic extract protected significantly brain homogenates against lipid peroxidation (-78.28 % of MDA reduction at 200 µg/mL, P<0.001). DDPH radical was scavenged by extract with IC50 of 21.25 ± 0.41 µg/mL, close to that of the standard ascorbic acid (20.60 ± 0.26 µg/mL). The TAC of S. setigera hydroethanolic extract expressed as equivalent of standard ascorbic acid was 102.44 ± 19.48 µg AAE/mg. The IC50 found for S. setigera (139.68 ± 0.36 µg/mL) when inhibiting RBCs hemolysis is very close to that of Diclofenac (128.41 ± 0.21 µg/mL). Among polyphenolic compounds quantified, flavonoids were well represented with concentration of 172.38 ± 8.36 µgRE/mg. The presence of these polyphenolics may explain good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities recorded, confirming its suitable usage in the local pharmacopoeia and making S. setigera a good candidate for neuroprotective drugs discovery. Keywords: Sterculia setigera, neuroprotection, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory.