Formulation d’un médicament traditionnel amélioré à visée antiamibienne à base de Euphorbia hirta Linn

Abstract

The conventional therapeutic arsenal for amoebiasis consists mainly in imidazole molecules with many side effects meanwhile some traditional African medicine recipes are effective for dealing with this scourge. The aim of this study was to make an improved traditionnal medicine with anti-amoebic properties made from Euphorbia hirta Linn. The plant was harvested in Bangangté (West-Cameroon) and identified in the National Herbarium of Cameroon. Before use, it was cleaned with potable water, dried in the shade for 3 days and then in an oven at 50 °C for 48 hours. The different anti-amoebic galenic forms of Euphorbia hirta Linn were identified and listed so that the interest of the capsules was highligted. The chemical screening of the plant revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, sterols, mucilage and the absence of some groups such as alkaloids, triterpenes, anthocyanins and leucoanthocyanins. A total flavonoid assay was performed spectrophotometrically at 420 nm with aluminum chloride. The determined daily dosage was 1 g of dried plant and contained 3.44 mg quercetin equivalents. Batches of capsules were made according to good manufacturing practice. The capsules containing 0.86 mg of total flavonoids in quercetin equivalents were submitted to regulatory pharmaco-technical controls. The capsules passed favorably the chemical and pharmacotechnical tests and were qualified to be subjected to other studies for the Marketing Authorisation that would give them an alternative position to imidazoles.