Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus LASV, which was first isolated... more Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus LASV, which was first isolated in the rodent Mastomys natalensis in 1974 in Kenema, Sierra Leone. As little is known about the abundance and the presence of LASV in rodents living in the Bo area, we carried out a small mammal longitudinal population survey. A standardized trapping session was performed in various habitats and seasons in six villages over two years (2014–2016) and samples collected were tested for arenavirus IgG and LASV. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was performed on sequences identified by PCR. A total of 1490 small mammals were collected, and 16 rodent species were identified, with M. natalensis (355, 24%) found to be the most prevalent species. Forty-one (2.8%) samples were IgG positive, and 31 of these were trapped in homes and 10 in surrounding vegetation. Twenty-nine of 41 seropositive rodents were M. natalensis. We detected four LASV by PCR in two villages, all found in M. natalensis. Phylo...
Relationships between body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity (1 = active and 0 = inactive) ... more Relationships between body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity (1 = active and 0 = inactive) and Eye lens weight (as a proxy for age) in M. natalensis infected by Lassa virus (LASV). Red = LASV positive village (Brissa), black = LASV negative village (Tambaya). Dashed lines represent standard errors on the predicted probabilities. (PDF 100 kb)
Effects of sex and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body l... more Effects of sex and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity and fertility in M. natalensis infected by Lassa (LASV), Morogoro (MORV) and Gairo (GAIV) viruses. Estimate effects were shown on a log-scale to allow linear comparison. The last two columns represent animals that were vRNA or antibody positive. (n = number of sampled M. natalensis; *statistically significant, NP, not possible to calculate because of significant interaction with ELW). Table S2. Effects of season and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity and fertility in M. natalensis infected by Lassa (LASV), Morogoro (MORV) and Gairo (GAIV) viruses. Estimate effects were shown on a log-scale to allow linear comparison. The last two columns represent animals that were vRNA or antibody positive. (n = number of sampled M. natalensis; *statistically significant, NPa, not possible to calculate because of si...
Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Aims: To evaluate the antisickling and antibacterial activities of Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca... more Aims: To evaluate the antisickling and antibacterial activities of Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca heudelotii. Study Design: Evaluation of the antisickling and antibacterial activities of anthocyanins and organic acids extracted from Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca heudelotii In vitro.
The emergence of new infectious agents is a potential risk associated with genetic manipulation a... more The emergence of new infectious agents is a potential risk associated with genetic manipulation and field cultivation of genetically modified organisms and constitutes a new challenge in molecular epidemiology. The main objective of the current study was to synthesize silver nanoparticles and evaluate the antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles. E. coli and Enterococcus sp. were isolated from wastewater samples collected from Kalamu River. The preliminary characterization of silver nanoparticles was carried out using UV-visible spectrophotometer. Noble metals, such as silver nanoparticles, exhibit unique and adjustable optical properties due to their external plasmon resonance. The reduction of silver ions was monitored by measuring the UV-visible spectrum of the solutions after dilution of a small aliquot (0.2 mL) of the aqueous component. The antibiotic susceptibility test results confirmed the inactivity of these antibiotics tested against the wild strain of Enteroccocus sp. The synthesized silver nanoparticles displayed a good antibacterial activity against Enterococcus sp. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles is designed precisely to alleviate this situation; and these results provide a strong evidence that silver nanoparticles can be used to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Fruit seasonality remains so far one of the priorities of agricultural research and development i... more Fruit seasonality remains so far one of the priorities of agricultural research and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, due to the lack of reliable statistics and a schedule, it seems unappreciated and underestimated. This situation limits the prospect of fruit resource promotion and justifies the initiation of the current study of which the objective was to assess the biodiversity and fruit food value available according to the season in Kinshasa. The survey was carried out between January and June 2016 in the Lukunga district, particularly in Mont-Ngafula township where 100 vendors of fruits in selected markets of this township were interviewed. In the current survey, about twenty fruits sold on these markets were recorded and these fruits belong to 22 families dominated by Anacardiaceae and Rutaceae families. It was observed that the greater varieties of fruits were available in February than in June. It was noted that papaya, banana, coconut and apples were present from January to June while mangosteens, fewer passion fruits, rambutan and pink apples were only present in January and February. These findings showed that the sale of fruit is a very profitable activity. All these elements are important for they serve as the basis for the development of a research strategy for the promotion of fruit resources in DRC.
Aims: This study addressed the identification of bioactive compounds, the determination of minera... more Aims: This study addressed the identification of bioactive compounds, the determination of mineral content and the evaluation of the antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-sickling activities of aqueous extract from stem bark of Harungana madagascariensis. Place and Duration of Study: Centre d’Etudes des Substances Naturelles d’Origine Végétale (CESNOV), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa and Faculty of Sciences, National Pedagogic University in DRC, between October 2018 and January 2021. Methodology: Phytochemical screening was evaluated by chromatographic methods (TLC and HPLC), the mineral composition by ICP-AES and the antioxidant activities using ABTS and DPPH assays, the antibacterial activity against four bacteria strains using the micro-dilution method; and the in vitro anti-sickling activity by the Emmel test. Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the abundance in this plant of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones and...
Nearly 80% of people depend on the traditional medicines for their primary health care according ... more Nearly 80% of people depend on the traditional medicines for their primary health care according to the World Health Organization. In fact, the study of plant chemistry is still a relevant subject despite its antiquity. The main objective of this study was to determine the microscopic features of different Congolese taxa and to determine their chromatographic fingerprints. Three plant species used notably were: Aframomum alboviolaceum (Ridley) K. Schum., Annona senegalensis Pers. and Mondia whitei. The microscopic features of these plants were carried out along with their phytochemical screening by thin layer chromatography and the spectrophotometric determination of various secondary metabolites contained in these plant species. The microscopic study of A. Alboviolaceum, A. senegalensis and M. whitei revealed the presence of paracytic stomata, fibers, fragments of spiral bundles, non-glandular hairs, parenchyma with numerous starch grains, secreting hairs, fragments of punctuated vessels, as well as lignified fibers. Thin layer chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, anthraquinones, anthocyanins, tannins, irridoids, and the absence of alkaloids in all three plants. In the light of these results, it would be desirable to pursue thorough phytochemical studies in order to isolate the bioactive compounds and elucidate their structures.
Rainforests constitute the great green heart of Africa and thus they present a unique combination... more Rainforests constitute the great green heart of Africa and thus they present a unique combination of ecological, climatic and human interactions. The degradation of various forest ecosystems in mainly tropical regions and more particularly in sub-Saharan Africa has been a constant reality since the emergence of man. Faced to this almost alarming picture, most often linked to the countless economic challenges and calamitous management and confronted with unavoidable climate change, it seemed appropriate and imperative to assess the quantities of Air Biomass, sequestered carbon stocks, carbon equivalent and basal area produced by various forest massifs encountered in the Kwilu province. This study was carried out at the Kiyaka Agricultural Research Station located in the south of Kikwit. Five blocks of 100 m / 20 m were delineated using a 200 m long nylon wire divided into 10 m intervals. The system thus delimited made it possible to inventory all the trees, of which dbh measured at 1...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the major biodiversity hotspot in the world. Wild ... more The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the major biodiversity hotspot in the world. Wild edible plants (WEPs) are widely consumed as part of daily diet by the local people and are part of their traditional culture and food habit. The T. triangulare species is a non-conventional vegetable crop of the Talinaceae family. It is well adapted to the hot and humid climate and the poor quality soil, which makes its cultivation an important economic activity for small growers. However, mere enumeration of such plants is not enough. A thorough assessment of their nutritive values is of paramount importance to find out how to make best use of them. The present work deals with the biochemichal analysis of the nutritive values of non-conventional food plant T. triangulare with pink and white flowers. Freshly collected seeds, barks, roots leaves samples were first washed with tap water and then distilled water and dried in air, away from the sun till constant weight was recorded. From thi...
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that kills approximately three million people annually worl... more Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that kills approximately three million people annually worldwide. The emergence of multidrug resistant, extensively drug resistant and lengthy therapy reduces the patient compliance and therefore comprises control strategies. In this study, the leaves of Terminalia ivorensis, Carapa procera, Fagara macrophylla, Anacardium occidentale, Ficus spp. and Drepanoalpha® (a polyherbal medicine to relieve sickle cell anaemia) were extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol in order to screen potential bioactive compounds in different extracts and to assess their anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and Mycobacterium tuberculosis spp. on Lowenstein-Jensen medium using a qualitative approach. The activity was determined as to whether there was growth or not. It was shown that only the methanolic extract displayed a good activity on both strains than the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts. The presence of phytochemicals in plants such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, anthocyanins and quinones known to be of medicinal importance pointed out a possible source for anti-mycobacterial agents to address the problem of multidrug resistance. The in vitro findings of this study provide a partial support for the use of these plants in the control of various infectious diseases as lead to drug discovery and should be reiterated and recommended for a clinical trial using an animal model.
In accordance with statistics from the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of populations depen... more In accordance with statistics from the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of populations depend on traditional medicine for primary health care. In order to scientifically validate the phyto-therapeutic wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, three plants were chosen namely: Afromomum alboviolaceum, Annona senegalensis and Mondia whitei. The objective of our study was to assess the antisickling, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the ethanolic extracts and the dichloromethane fractions of these three plants. Sickle cell blood was supplied from Centre de Médecine Mixte and Anémie SS of Yolo Sud, Kinshasa. Three bacterial strains were used including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 9027. The ethanolic extracts of A. alboviolaceum and A. senegalensis and dichloromethane fractions of A. alboviolaceum and M. whitei showed IC50 values < 100 µg/mL in the ABTS test. Only the dichloromethane fraction of A. senengalensis showed an IC 50 value of less than 100 µg/mL for the DPPH test. The inhibitory concentration 50 (IC 50) values obtained from the ABTS test are lower than those of the DPPH test. All tested extracts possess a high antisickling activity and only soluble dichloromethane extracts are active vis-à-vis Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 31.5 µg/mL). These results constitute a scientific evidence validating the use of these three medicinal plants for the management of sickle-cell anemia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Aims: The incidence of infectious diseases is still a vital concern in developing countries. Rece... more Aims: The incidence of infectious diseases is still a vital concern in developing countries. Recently, hygienists have focused on the risk of transmitted diseases through currency notes. This study aims at the determination of potential pathogenic microorganisms found on the Congolese Francs currency notes circulating in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Place and Duration of the Study: This study was carried out in Kinshasa city, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between September 3 and 29, 2019 at the Bacteriology Laboratory of the National Institute for Biomedical Research. Methods: During this study, 36 currency notes of different denominations have been used for microbiological analysis. Currency notes were collected from vendors of the Central market and currency note dealers at Kintambo Magasin market in Kinshasa. The identification of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) was performed using gram staining and biochemical analyses. Results: The findings reveal t...
Water pollution is currently at the top of the environmental agenda. In this study, the main obje... more Water pollution is currently at the top of the environmental agenda. In this study, the main objectives were (i) to assess the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of well and borehole water found in the vicinity of the University of Kinshasa and (ii) to assess the sensitivity of Escherichia coli and Enterococci strains isolated from various selected water points to disinfectants used at the industrial scale (Chlorine and chlorine dioxide) or in the household (Aquatabs) for the microbiological treatment of water. Three sites having wells or boreholes were chosen for sample collection, namely: The University of Kinshasa and its vicinity (Kindele and Kemi districts). The Physico-chemical parameters were determined in situ and then in the laboratory; and concerned the following indicators: pH, conductivity and turbidity. Moreover, the bacteriological quality was assessed by detecting the presence of faecal pollution indicator bacteria (E. coli and Enterococcus sp). The susceptib...
As part of biodiversity monitoring in the Kisangani Forest Region, a survey of bats was conducted... more As part of biodiversity monitoring in the Kisangani Forest Region, a survey of bats was conducted in three protected areas, specifically Lomami, Yangambi and Epulu. In this pilot study, a total of 201 specimens were collected using Japanese nets of different lengths (6, 9 and 12 m long) and a height of 2 m with a mesh size of 2 × 2 cm to capture bats. Captured specimens were identified using determination keys appropriate for the study area. The results of inventories in the three sites revealed that 201 specimens of captured bats belong to 2 sub-orders, 4 families, 9 genera and 12 species. The most abundant species were Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermannii and Myotis bocagii. The following species, Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermanii, Casinycteris argynnis, and Hipposideros caffer were found at all three sites. Based on the Shannon Index, it was observed that the Lomami site has a higher specific diversity than the two other areas (Yangambi and Epulu) 1.74 against 1.51 and 1.42 respectively.
In this work, a semi-empirical approach correlating the values of methanogenic toxicity of 22 aro... more In this work, a semi-empirical approach correlating the values of methanogenic toxicity of 22 aromatic compounds was used. TheIC50 exp, along with the various molecular properties of these compounds were determined using the DFT B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) method. While a conceptual approach of the FDT, was made in order to determine those, which are responsible of this methanogenic activity of the studied aromatic compounds. The Principal Component Analysis method was used in order to describe all the connections and information contained between these various variables (IC50exp.and molecular properties) of the aromatic compounds. TThe Hierarchical Cluster Analysis helped to classify the studied aromatic compounds in various classes defining the various types of methanogenic toxicity. The findings show that the electron withdrawing and lipophilic substituents made the aromatic ring more toxic than the electron donating and hydrophilic substituents.The aromatic compounds with -NO2 and –Cl gr...
Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research
Background: ART is one of the important pillars of the fight against AIDS. It restores immunity a... more Background: ART is one of the important pillars of the fight against AIDS. It restores immunity and reduces the risk of death. Its success lies in its strict compliance while its non-compliance exposes to the risk of resistance and therapeutic failure. The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with the non-compliance to ART of PLWHA monitored at the General Reference Hospital of Gbadolite. Methodology: It was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted between December 2017 and January 2018. The compliance was measured from patient reports and by counting the number of tablets remaining from the current month of the survey. Any PLWHA who failed to take their medication at most 2 times during the month preceding the survey or whose number of remaining tablets was greater than the expected number based on the month's consumption was considered non-compliant. In total, 208 participants were selected based on the established selection criteria and several...
Aim: To identify invasive aquatic alien plant species found in the Pool Malebo and some rivers in... more Aim: To identify invasive aquatic alien plant species found in the Pool Malebo and some rivers in Kinshasa city, their behavior as well as their socio-economic impacts. Study Design: The study used a combination of purposive sampling and simple random sampling in order to select different sites where samples were collected. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in different rivers (Pool Malebo system (Kinkole, Kingabwa), and N'sele, Funa and Lukaya rivers) of Kinshasa city in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Pool Malebo is located along the Congo River. This was conducted between March and October 2013. Methodology: The collection was performed after a direct observation. The location of collection depended on sites, at Kingabwa and Kinkole, we collected invasive species in the middle of the Congo river and to achieve that, we used canoe. While at N’sele, Lukaya and Funa rivers, samples were collected at the edges. The collection took place in the morning ...
Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research
Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, biological, socioeconomic and sociodemographi... more Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, biological, socioeconomic and sociodemographic parameters on sickle cell patients before, during and after the administration of Drepanoalpha®, a nutraceutical used in the management of sickle cell disease in DR. Congo. Methodology: The 34 selected cases were submitted to Drepanoalpha® for two months and the clinical (jaundice, pallor, physical asthenia, abdominal bloating, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, sensitivity to infections, bone pain, anorexia), biological (hemoglobin and hematocrit) and socioeconomic (cost per crisis, number and duration of hospitalization, number of transfusions) parameters were evaluated before, during and after administration.
Britain International of Exact Sciences (BIoEx) Journal
Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonotic disease of which clinical manifestations are similar to small... more Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonotic disease of which clinical manifestations are similar to smallpox, it is transmitted to humans by direct contact with the body of an infected animal, but the transmission can also be human-to-human. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the most endemic country in the world where almost all provinces are affected by this scourge. However, in the administrative configuration currently, monkey pox has not been detected in Nord Ubangi province yet. This cross-sectional study focuses on three cases of patients diagnosed with monkey pox virus at Businga General Hospital in Nord Ubangi province. The findings show that all the three patients were male with a primary education level and their average age was 9±3.46 years. They had some epidemiological characteristics specific to monkey pox, including high fevers, rashes, pruritus and abdominal pain. After two weeks of symptomatic treatment, each patient was able to get out without further complications. For ...
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus LASV, which was first isolated... more Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus LASV, which was first isolated in the rodent Mastomys natalensis in 1974 in Kenema, Sierra Leone. As little is known about the abundance and the presence of LASV in rodents living in the Bo area, we carried out a small mammal longitudinal population survey. A standardized trapping session was performed in various habitats and seasons in six villages over two years (2014–2016) and samples collected were tested for arenavirus IgG and LASV. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was performed on sequences identified by PCR. A total of 1490 small mammals were collected, and 16 rodent species were identified, with M. natalensis (355, 24%) found to be the most prevalent species. Forty-one (2.8%) samples were IgG positive, and 31 of these were trapped in homes and 10 in surrounding vegetation. Twenty-nine of 41 seropositive rodents were M. natalensis. We detected four LASV by PCR in two villages, all found in M. natalensis. Phylo...
Relationships between body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity (1 = active and 0 = inactive) ... more Relationships between body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity (1 = active and 0 = inactive) and Eye lens weight (as a proxy for age) in M. natalensis infected by Lassa virus (LASV). Red = LASV positive village (Brissa), black = LASV negative village (Tambaya). Dashed lines represent standard errors on the predicted probabilities. (PDF 100 kb)
Effects of sex and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body l... more Effects of sex and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity and fertility in M. natalensis infected by Lassa (LASV), Morogoro (MORV) and Gairo (GAIV) viruses. Estimate effects were shown on a log-scale to allow linear comparison. The last two columns represent animals that were vRNA or antibody positive. (n = number of sampled M. natalensis; *statistically significant, NP, not possible to calculate because of significant interaction with ELW). Table S2. Effects of season and viral infection (viral RNA - vRNA and antibody - AB) on body mass, head-body length, sexual maturity and fertility in M. natalensis infected by Lassa (LASV), Morogoro (MORV) and Gairo (GAIV) viruses. Estimate effects were shown on a log-scale to allow linear comparison. The last two columns represent animals that were vRNA or antibody positive. (n = number of sampled M. natalensis; *statistically significant, NPa, not possible to calculate because of si...
Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Aims: To evaluate the antisickling and antibacterial activities of Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca... more Aims: To evaluate the antisickling and antibacterial activities of Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca heudelotii. Study Design: Evaluation of the antisickling and antibacterial activities of anthocyanins and organic acids extracted from Gardenia ternifolia and Uapaca heudelotii In vitro.
The emergence of new infectious agents is a potential risk associated with genetic manipulation a... more The emergence of new infectious agents is a potential risk associated with genetic manipulation and field cultivation of genetically modified organisms and constitutes a new challenge in molecular epidemiology. The main objective of the current study was to synthesize silver nanoparticles and evaluate the antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles. E. coli and Enterococcus sp. were isolated from wastewater samples collected from Kalamu River. The preliminary characterization of silver nanoparticles was carried out using UV-visible spectrophotometer. Noble metals, such as silver nanoparticles, exhibit unique and adjustable optical properties due to their external plasmon resonance. The reduction of silver ions was monitored by measuring the UV-visible spectrum of the solutions after dilution of a small aliquot (0.2 mL) of the aqueous component. The antibiotic susceptibility test results confirmed the inactivity of these antibiotics tested against the wild strain of Enteroccocus sp. The synthesized silver nanoparticles displayed a good antibacterial activity against Enterococcus sp. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles is designed precisely to alleviate this situation; and these results provide a strong evidence that silver nanoparticles can be used to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Fruit seasonality remains so far one of the priorities of agricultural research and development i... more Fruit seasonality remains so far one of the priorities of agricultural research and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, due to the lack of reliable statistics and a schedule, it seems unappreciated and underestimated. This situation limits the prospect of fruit resource promotion and justifies the initiation of the current study of which the objective was to assess the biodiversity and fruit food value available according to the season in Kinshasa. The survey was carried out between January and June 2016 in the Lukunga district, particularly in Mont-Ngafula township where 100 vendors of fruits in selected markets of this township were interviewed. In the current survey, about twenty fruits sold on these markets were recorded and these fruits belong to 22 families dominated by Anacardiaceae and Rutaceae families. It was observed that the greater varieties of fruits were available in February than in June. It was noted that papaya, banana, coconut and apples were present from January to June while mangosteens, fewer passion fruits, rambutan and pink apples were only present in January and February. These findings showed that the sale of fruit is a very profitable activity. All these elements are important for they serve as the basis for the development of a research strategy for the promotion of fruit resources in DRC.
Aims: This study addressed the identification of bioactive compounds, the determination of minera... more Aims: This study addressed the identification of bioactive compounds, the determination of mineral content and the evaluation of the antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-sickling activities of aqueous extract from stem bark of Harungana madagascariensis. Place and Duration of Study: Centre d’Etudes des Substances Naturelles d’Origine Végétale (CESNOV), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa and Faculty of Sciences, National Pedagogic University in DRC, between October 2018 and January 2021. Methodology: Phytochemical screening was evaluated by chromatographic methods (TLC and HPLC), the mineral composition by ICP-AES and the antioxidant activities using ABTS and DPPH assays, the antibacterial activity against four bacteria strains using the micro-dilution method; and the in vitro anti-sickling activity by the Emmel test. Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the abundance in this plant of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones and...
Nearly 80% of people depend on the traditional medicines for their primary health care according ... more Nearly 80% of people depend on the traditional medicines for their primary health care according to the World Health Organization. In fact, the study of plant chemistry is still a relevant subject despite its antiquity. The main objective of this study was to determine the microscopic features of different Congolese taxa and to determine their chromatographic fingerprints. Three plant species used notably were: Aframomum alboviolaceum (Ridley) K. Schum., Annona senegalensis Pers. and Mondia whitei. The microscopic features of these plants were carried out along with their phytochemical screening by thin layer chromatography and the spectrophotometric determination of various secondary metabolites contained in these plant species. The microscopic study of A. Alboviolaceum, A. senegalensis and M. whitei revealed the presence of paracytic stomata, fibers, fragments of spiral bundles, non-glandular hairs, parenchyma with numerous starch grains, secreting hairs, fragments of punctuated vessels, as well as lignified fibers. Thin layer chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, anthraquinones, anthocyanins, tannins, irridoids, and the absence of alkaloids in all three plants. In the light of these results, it would be desirable to pursue thorough phytochemical studies in order to isolate the bioactive compounds and elucidate their structures.
Rainforests constitute the great green heart of Africa and thus they present a unique combination... more Rainforests constitute the great green heart of Africa and thus they present a unique combination of ecological, climatic and human interactions. The degradation of various forest ecosystems in mainly tropical regions and more particularly in sub-Saharan Africa has been a constant reality since the emergence of man. Faced to this almost alarming picture, most often linked to the countless economic challenges and calamitous management and confronted with unavoidable climate change, it seemed appropriate and imperative to assess the quantities of Air Biomass, sequestered carbon stocks, carbon equivalent and basal area produced by various forest massifs encountered in the Kwilu province. This study was carried out at the Kiyaka Agricultural Research Station located in the south of Kikwit. Five blocks of 100 m / 20 m were delineated using a 200 m long nylon wire divided into 10 m intervals. The system thus delimited made it possible to inventory all the trees, of which dbh measured at 1...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the major biodiversity hotspot in the world. Wild ... more The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the major biodiversity hotspot in the world. Wild edible plants (WEPs) are widely consumed as part of daily diet by the local people and are part of their traditional culture and food habit. The T. triangulare species is a non-conventional vegetable crop of the Talinaceae family. It is well adapted to the hot and humid climate and the poor quality soil, which makes its cultivation an important economic activity for small growers. However, mere enumeration of such plants is not enough. A thorough assessment of their nutritive values is of paramount importance to find out how to make best use of them. The present work deals with the biochemichal analysis of the nutritive values of non-conventional food plant T. triangulare with pink and white flowers. Freshly collected seeds, barks, roots leaves samples were first washed with tap water and then distilled water and dried in air, away from the sun till constant weight was recorded. From thi...
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that kills approximately three million people annually worl... more Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that kills approximately three million people annually worldwide. The emergence of multidrug resistant, extensively drug resistant and lengthy therapy reduces the patient compliance and therefore comprises control strategies. In this study, the leaves of Terminalia ivorensis, Carapa procera, Fagara macrophylla, Anacardium occidentale, Ficus spp. and Drepanoalpha® (a polyherbal medicine to relieve sickle cell anaemia) were extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol in order to screen potential bioactive compounds in different extracts and to assess their anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and Mycobacterium tuberculosis spp. on Lowenstein-Jensen medium using a qualitative approach. The activity was determined as to whether there was growth or not. It was shown that only the methanolic extract displayed a good activity on both strains than the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts. The presence of phytochemicals in plants such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, anthocyanins and quinones known to be of medicinal importance pointed out a possible source for anti-mycobacterial agents to address the problem of multidrug resistance. The in vitro findings of this study provide a partial support for the use of these plants in the control of various infectious diseases as lead to drug discovery and should be reiterated and recommended for a clinical trial using an animal model.
In accordance with statistics from the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of populations depen... more In accordance with statistics from the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of populations depend on traditional medicine for primary health care. In order to scientifically validate the phyto-therapeutic wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, three plants were chosen namely: Afromomum alboviolaceum, Annona senegalensis and Mondia whitei. The objective of our study was to assess the antisickling, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the ethanolic extracts and the dichloromethane fractions of these three plants. Sickle cell blood was supplied from Centre de Médecine Mixte and Anémie SS of Yolo Sud, Kinshasa. Three bacterial strains were used including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 9027. The ethanolic extracts of A. alboviolaceum and A. senegalensis and dichloromethane fractions of A. alboviolaceum and M. whitei showed IC50 values < 100 µg/mL in the ABTS test. Only the dichloromethane fraction of A. senengalensis showed an IC 50 value of less than 100 µg/mL for the DPPH test. The inhibitory concentration 50 (IC 50) values obtained from the ABTS test are lower than those of the DPPH test. All tested extracts possess a high antisickling activity and only soluble dichloromethane extracts are active vis-à-vis Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 31.5 µg/mL). These results constitute a scientific evidence validating the use of these three medicinal plants for the management of sickle-cell anemia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Aims: The incidence of infectious diseases is still a vital concern in developing countries. Rece... more Aims: The incidence of infectious diseases is still a vital concern in developing countries. Recently, hygienists have focused on the risk of transmitted diseases through currency notes. This study aims at the determination of potential pathogenic microorganisms found on the Congolese Francs currency notes circulating in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Place and Duration of the Study: This study was carried out in Kinshasa city, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between September 3 and 29, 2019 at the Bacteriology Laboratory of the National Institute for Biomedical Research. Methods: During this study, 36 currency notes of different denominations have been used for microbiological analysis. Currency notes were collected from vendors of the Central market and currency note dealers at Kintambo Magasin market in Kinshasa. The identification of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) was performed using gram staining and biochemical analyses. Results: The findings reveal t...
Water pollution is currently at the top of the environmental agenda. In this study, the main obje... more Water pollution is currently at the top of the environmental agenda. In this study, the main objectives were (i) to assess the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of well and borehole water found in the vicinity of the University of Kinshasa and (ii) to assess the sensitivity of Escherichia coli and Enterococci strains isolated from various selected water points to disinfectants used at the industrial scale (Chlorine and chlorine dioxide) or in the household (Aquatabs) for the microbiological treatment of water. Three sites having wells or boreholes were chosen for sample collection, namely: The University of Kinshasa and its vicinity (Kindele and Kemi districts). The Physico-chemical parameters were determined in situ and then in the laboratory; and concerned the following indicators: pH, conductivity and turbidity. Moreover, the bacteriological quality was assessed by detecting the presence of faecal pollution indicator bacteria (E. coli and Enterococcus sp). The susceptib...
As part of biodiversity monitoring in the Kisangani Forest Region, a survey of bats was conducted... more As part of biodiversity monitoring in the Kisangani Forest Region, a survey of bats was conducted in three protected areas, specifically Lomami, Yangambi and Epulu. In this pilot study, a total of 201 specimens were collected using Japanese nets of different lengths (6, 9 and 12 m long) and a height of 2 m with a mesh size of 2 × 2 cm to capture bats. Captured specimens were identified using determination keys appropriate for the study area. The results of inventories in the three sites revealed that 201 specimens of captured bats belong to 2 sub-orders, 4 families, 9 genera and 12 species. The most abundant species were Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermannii and Myotis bocagii. The following species, Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermanii, Casinycteris argynnis, and Hipposideros caffer were found at all three sites. Based on the Shannon Index, it was observed that the Lomami site has a higher specific diversity than the two other areas (Yangambi and Epulu) 1.74 against 1.51 and 1.42 respectively.
In this work, a semi-empirical approach correlating the values of methanogenic toxicity of 22 aro... more In this work, a semi-empirical approach correlating the values of methanogenic toxicity of 22 aromatic compounds was used. TheIC50 exp, along with the various molecular properties of these compounds were determined using the DFT B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) method. While a conceptual approach of the FDT, was made in order to determine those, which are responsible of this methanogenic activity of the studied aromatic compounds. The Principal Component Analysis method was used in order to describe all the connections and information contained between these various variables (IC50exp.and molecular properties) of the aromatic compounds. TThe Hierarchical Cluster Analysis helped to classify the studied aromatic compounds in various classes defining the various types of methanogenic toxicity. The findings show that the electron withdrawing and lipophilic substituents made the aromatic ring more toxic than the electron donating and hydrophilic substituents.The aromatic compounds with -NO2 and –Cl gr...
Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research
Background: ART is one of the important pillars of the fight against AIDS. It restores immunity a... more Background: ART is one of the important pillars of the fight against AIDS. It restores immunity and reduces the risk of death. Its success lies in its strict compliance while its non-compliance exposes to the risk of resistance and therapeutic failure. The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with the non-compliance to ART of PLWHA monitored at the General Reference Hospital of Gbadolite. Methodology: It was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted between December 2017 and January 2018. The compliance was measured from patient reports and by counting the number of tablets remaining from the current month of the survey. Any PLWHA who failed to take their medication at most 2 times during the month preceding the survey or whose number of remaining tablets was greater than the expected number based on the month's consumption was considered non-compliant. In total, 208 participants were selected based on the established selection criteria and several...
Aim: To identify invasive aquatic alien plant species found in the Pool Malebo and some rivers in... more Aim: To identify invasive aquatic alien plant species found in the Pool Malebo and some rivers in Kinshasa city, their behavior as well as their socio-economic impacts. Study Design: The study used a combination of purposive sampling and simple random sampling in order to select different sites where samples were collected. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in different rivers (Pool Malebo system (Kinkole, Kingabwa), and N'sele, Funa and Lukaya rivers) of Kinshasa city in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Pool Malebo is located along the Congo River. This was conducted between March and October 2013. Methodology: The collection was performed after a direct observation. The location of collection depended on sites, at Kingabwa and Kinkole, we collected invasive species in the middle of the Congo river and to achieve that, we used canoe. While at N’sele, Lukaya and Funa rivers, samples were collected at the edges. The collection took place in the morning ...
Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research
Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, biological, socioeconomic and sociodemographi... more Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, biological, socioeconomic and sociodemographic parameters on sickle cell patients before, during and after the administration of Drepanoalpha®, a nutraceutical used in the management of sickle cell disease in DR. Congo. Methodology: The 34 selected cases were submitted to Drepanoalpha® for two months and the clinical (jaundice, pallor, physical asthenia, abdominal bloating, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, sensitivity to infections, bone pain, anorexia), biological (hemoglobin and hematocrit) and socioeconomic (cost per crisis, number and duration of hospitalization, number of transfusions) parameters were evaluated before, during and after administration.
Britain International of Exact Sciences (BIoEx) Journal
Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonotic disease of which clinical manifestations are similar to small... more Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonotic disease of which clinical manifestations are similar to smallpox, it is transmitted to humans by direct contact with the body of an infected animal, but the transmission can also be human-to-human. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the most endemic country in the world where almost all provinces are affected by this scourge. However, in the administrative configuration currently, monkey pox has not been detected in Nord Ubangi province yet. This cross-sectional study focuses on three cases of patients diagnosed with monkey pox virus at Businga General Hospital in Nord Ubangi province. The findings show that all the three patients were male with a primary education level and their average age was 9±3.46 years. They had some epidemiological characteristics specific to monkey pox, including high fevers, rashes, pruritus and abdominal pain. After two weeks of symptomatic treatment, each patient was able to get out without further complications. For ...
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