ANTIAMEBIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SOME CONGOLESE MEDICINAL-PLANTS

Results from the in vitro antiamoebic activity of some Congolese plant extracts used as antidiarrhoeic in traditional medicine indicated tha t of 45 plant extracts tested, 35 (77.78%) exhibited an antiamoebic ac tivity and 10 (22.22%) were inactive. The highest activity (MIC < 100 mu g/ml) was obtained with extracts from root bark of Paropsia brazzea na, Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, Alchornea cordifolia, Hensia pulchella, Maprounea africana, Rauwolfia obscura and Voacanga africana, leaves a nd stem bark of Psidium guajava, stem bark of Dialum englerianum, Haru ngana madagascariensis and Mangifera indica, mature seeds of Carica pa paya, and leaves of Morinda morindaides and Tithonia diversifolia. Met ronidazole used as reference product showed a more pronounced activity than that of all plant extracts tested. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ire land Ltd. All rights reserved.