title: Ethnopharmacological surveys and pharmacological studies of plants used in traditional medicine in the treatment of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases in Gabon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethnopharmacological surveys were conducted in two regions of Gabon. This led to highlighting some of the medicinal plants used by local populations in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases. Two regions with the highest occurrence of HIV/AIDS cases were visited and ethnopharmarcological data was gathered. These regions were the Estuaire Province (Libreville and its neighborhood) and the Haut-Ogooué Province (Franceville and its neighborhood). The opportunistic diseases and symptomatic conditions considered during this study were: diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, cough, tuberculosis, abscesses, stomach ache, skin rashes, venereal diseases, typhoid fever, anemia, general tiredness, hepatitis and vomiting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The reported species were evaluated through three parameters: specificity, reliability and frequency. Plant parts of relevant species were harvested and extracted with an aqueous alcohol solution (ethanol/water: 1/1). The extracts obtained were submitted to phytochemical screening and in vitro microbiological assays on some clinical isolates and ATCC strains, involved in HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases through the Agar well diffusion and Microbroth dilution methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 52 species identified during this survey, Coelocaryon klainei Pierre ex Heckel (Myristicaceae), Dacryodes klaineana (Pierre) H.J. Lam (Bursecaceae), Phyllanthus diandrus Pax (Euphorbiaceae), Saccoglotys gabonensis (Baill.) Urb. (Humiriaceae) and Tetrorchidium didymostemon (Baill.) Pax & K. Hoffm. (Euphorbiaceae) were submitted to in vitro microbiological assays. Phyllanthus diandrus bark and leaves show best antibacterial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae with MIC value of 0.25 respectively. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence in all the plant parts extracts of potentially bioactive molecules, including polyphenols, especially flavonoids and tannins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that some of these plants might be submitted to further scientific studies, including the identification and isolation of bioactive principles, that could be developed to drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: gfeuya@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Guy Raymond Feuya
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Tchouya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: souzapg@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Box. 812, Yaounde, Cameroon. Electronic address: jctchouank@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tchouankeu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: yalalaw@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Fabrice
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Yala
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacopoeia and Traditional Medicine, Box. 1156, Libreville, Gabon. Electronic address: bouk_marlaine@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Marlaine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boukandou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: foundikouhibrahim@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Hibrahim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Foundikou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: nguemaobianggiresse@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Giresse Delphang Nguema
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Obiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Box. 812, Yaounde, Cameroon. Electronic address: ffefe@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fabrice Fekam
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Boyom
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: rolande.mabika@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Rolande Mabika
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mabika
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Box. 812, Yaounde, Cameroon. Electronic address: mllemenkem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elisabeth Zeuko'o
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Menkem
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, ZA-2028, Johannesburg, South Africa. Electronic address: tantohtantoh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Derek Tantoh
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ndinteh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon. Electronic address: jlebibi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lebibi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005681:Gabon; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antimicrobial agents; Data analysis; HIV/AIDS; In vitro analysis; Medicinal plants; Pharmacognosy