Plants Of West Africa Research Articles

The Acute and Subchronic Toxicity Evaluation of methanol leaf Extracts Of Bombaxbuonopozense

Natural products serve as the foundation for conventional medicine and are significant sources of lead compounds for medication research. One of the underutilized plants in West Africa is Bombax buonopozense. West African populations use the majority of its parts for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. The research was aimed at evaluation of the Acute and subchronic oral toxicity of Bombaxbuonopozense leaves extract in rats.In the acute toxicity study, female rats received oral doses of 2000 mg/kg of Bombaxbuonopozense extract (n = 5/group). Abnormal behavior, toxic symptoms, weight changes, and mortality were monitored for 14 consecutive days to evaluate acute toxicity. For the sub-chronic toxicity study, the extract was orally administered to Wistar rats at doses of 800 and 1600 mg/kg (n = 5/group) daily for 28 days. Daily observations were made on the general behavior and body weight of the rats. Biochemical and hematological analyses were performed at the end of the treatment period. Following acute oral administration, the LD50 of Bombaxbuonopozens leaves extract was found to be greater than 2000 mg/kg in the evaluation of acute oral toxicity. Administration of Bombaxbuonopozense extract to rats did showed significantly increase in platelate in the treated group (362.00±23.67*) when compared to the control group (451.67±30.77) at (p>0.05). The liver enzymes, An increase (P>0.05) was seen in ALP concentration on the treated group (216.59±44.29*) In the subchronic oral toxicity assessment at doses of 800 and 1600 mg/kg/day for 28 days, no significant changes were observed in food consumption, body weight gain, organ weights, and biochemical parameters. Treatment of rats with Bombaxbuonopozense extract showed a significant increase in ALP on the group treated with 1600 mg/kg (216.59±44.29*) compared to the control (98.70±13.32) and significant increase in LDL for the treated groups 800 mg/kg (70.76±8.19*) and 1600 mg/kg (71.40±13.17*) were observed when compared with.The current research demonstrated that administration of Bombaxbuonopozense extract orally for 28 days, at doses of up to 1600 mg/kg, did not cause any toxic effects. Based on the acute toxicity study, the estimated median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was more than 2000 mg/kg.

Unveiling phytochemical diversity and safety profile of hot water extract from Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit

BackgroundTetrapleura tetraptera, a widely used medicinal plant in West Africa, has been traditionally employed for various ailments. Despite its folkloric significance, scientific validation of its safety and potential neuroactive properties remains limited.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the acute and subchronic toxicity of Tetrapleura tetraptera hot water extract (HWETTF) in rats and to elucidate its phytochemical composition.MethodsAcute oral toxicity was assessed in mice using the OECD guideline 423, while a 14-day repeat-dose toxicity study was conducted in rats. The phytochemical analysis included HPLC, FT-IR, and GC–MS.ResultsHWETTF exhibited no significant toxicity in acute or subchronic studies, even at high doses. Phytochemical analysis revealed a diverse array of compounds, including those with potential GABAergic and CNS depressant activities.ConclusionTetrapleura tetraptera demonstrated a favourable safety profile in rodents and possesses a rich phytochemical composition. Further research is warranted to explore its potential neuroactive properties and develop therapeutic applications.

Ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Uvaria chamae P. Beauv.: A comprehensive review.

The use of medicinal plants as food and medicine has been a common practice in the world, especially in tropical African countries. One such plant in West Africa is Uvaria chamae, also known as Bush banana, renowned for its diverse ethnomedicinal applications and, more recently, for its pharmacological activities attributed to a rich array of phytochemical constituents. Various parts of the plant have been traditionally employed for the treatment of diverse health issues such as digestive disorders, fever, dysmenorrhea, cancer, wound healing, and many more. To unravel the bioactive compounds responsible for these medicinal properties, a comprehensive phytochemical analysis has been undertaken. Notable isolates include chamanetin, dichamanetin, uvaretin, and uvarinol from different parts of the plant. The pharmacological evaluation of these compounds has revealed significant anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Therefore, this review provides a thorough examination of the phytochemicals derived from Uvaria chamae, detailing their associated pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo. The review emphasizes the potential of Uvaria chamae as a valuable source of lead compounds for cancer chemotherapy and antimicrobial drug discovery.

Antifungal activity of African medicinal plants: a review

In Africa many plants are used as antifungals. However, journals analysing the work of antifungal activities of plants in West Africa in recent years are rare. This study is a synthesis of publications from 2006 to 2021 on plants traditionally used in the fight against antifungal diseases. A systematic search was carried out in the Pub Med and Google Scholar database using the following keywords: vaginitis; West Africa; antifungal activity; medicinal plants; plant extracts; for articles published from 2006 to 2021. These selected articles focus on ethnobotanical studies, in vitro antifungal tests and molecules isolated from these plants. A total of 46 papers were selected from 7 West African countries with 56 plants studied. Nigeria and Ivory coast did more work with 22 and 14 papers respectively and studied more plants with 23 and 17 respectively. 43% of plants show good activity in vitro on strains of Candida albicans in the laboratory with a minimum fungicide concentration and a percentage of inhibition above 50%. The most active extracts are found in Ivory coast with respectively the hexane extracts of Terminalia mantaly with a minimum fungicide concentration= 0.024 mg / mL and the hydroethanolic extract of Terminalia ivorensis with a minimum fungicide concentration of 0.097 mg / mL. It is clear that the traditional West African pharmacopoeia can make an important contribution for the management of vaginitis.

Comprehensive Analysis and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Assessment of the First Large-Scale Biogas Generation Plant in West Africa

More than 500 million people will be added to Africa’s cities by 2040, marking the largest urbanization in history. However, nonrenewable fossil energy sources are inadequate to meet Africa’s energy needs, and their overexploitation leads to intensified global warming. Fortunately, Africa has a huge potential for biomass energy, which will be an important option for combating climate change and energy shortage. In this study, we present a typical large-scale biogas plant in Burkina Faso, West Africa (Ouagadougou Biogas Plant, OUA), which is the first large-scale biogas generation plant in West Africa. The primary objective of OUA is to treat human feces, and it serves as a demonstration plant for generating electricity for feed-in tariffs. The objectives of this study are to assess the greenhouse gas reduction capacity and economic, environmental, and social benefits of OUA and to analyze the opportunities and challenges of developing biogas projects in Africa. As a result, the net economic profit of the OUA biogas plant is approximately USD 305,000 per year, with an anticipated static payback period of 14.5 years. The OUA plant has the capacity to treat 140,000 tons of human feces and 3000 tons of seasonal mixed organic waste annually, effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5232.61 tCO2eq, improving the habitat, and providing over 30 local jobs. Finally, the development of biogas projects in Africa includes advantages such as suitable natural conditions, the need for social development, and domestic and international support, as well as challenges in terms of national policies, insufficient funding, technical maintenance, and social culture.

West African medicinal plants: a review of their antimalarial activity

Nowadays, the use of medicinal plants in the fight against malaria must be based on scientific results of safety and quality. However, reviews of the antiplasmodial activities of plants in West Africa in recent years are rare. This study analyzes scientific publications from 2010 to 2021 on plants traditionally used in antimalarial treatments in West Africa. A systematic search was carried out in the PubMed and google scholar databases using the following keywords: Malaria, Antiplasmodial activity, extract, medicinal plant, West Africa; for articles published from 2010 to 2021. These articles concern ethnobotanical studies, antiplasmodial tests, isolated molecules and toxicity tests. A total of 8 West African countries were explored and 54 papers from 2010 to 2021 were selected with 78 plants studied. Nigeria and Burkina Faso recorded more work with 28 and 7 papers respectively and studied more plants with 31, and 16 respectively. The most active extracts for in vitro tests are found in Nigeria with ethanolic extracts of Phyllanthus amarus and Ipomoea purpurea with respectively an Inhibitory Concentratin of 0.05 μg /mL and 0.06 μg / mL. The most active extract in vivo is found in Nigeria with the methanolic fraction of Parkia biglobosa with a 100% suppression rate at a dose of 100 mg/kg/Day. It is clear that the traditional West African pharmacopoeia is a potential source of effective phytomedicines for the management of malaria.

Modeling climate change impact on inflow and hydropower generation of Nangbeto dam in West Africa using multi-model CORDEX ensemble and ensemble machine learning

Climate change (CC) poses a threat to renewable hydropower, which continues to play a significant role in energy generation in West Africa (WA). Thus, the assessment of the impacts of climate change and climate variability on hydropower generation is critical for dam management. This study develops a framework based on ensemble climate models and ensemble machine learning methods to assess the projected impacts of CC on inflow to the reservoir and hydropower generation at the Nangbeto Hydropower plant in WA. Inflow to reservoir and energy generation for the future (2020–2099) is modeled using climate models output data from Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment to produce a publicly accessible hydropower dataset from 1980 to 2099. The bias-adjusted ensemble mean of eleven climate models for representative concentration pathways (RC4.5 and RCP8.5) are used. The added value of this approach is to use fewer input data (temperature and precipitation) while focusing on their lagged effect on inflow and energy. Generally, the model output strongly correlates with the observation (1986–2005) with a Pearson correlation of 0.86 for energy and 0.82 for inflow while the mean absolute error is 2.97% for energy and 9.73% for inflow. The results reveals that both inflow and energy simulated over the future periods (2020–2039, 2040–2059, 2060–2079, and 2080–2099) will decrease relative to the historical period (1986–2005) for both RCPs in the range of (2.5–20.5% and 1–8.5% for inflow and energy, respectively), at annual, monthly and seasonal time scales. Therefore, these results should be considered by decision-makers when assessing the best option for the energy mix development plan.

Palmatine sensitizes chemoresistant triple negative breast cancer cells via efflux inhibition of multidrug resistant protein 1.

Chemoresistance develops in triple negative breast cancer cells during prolonged therapy with chemotherapeutic drugs, diminishing the benefits of these drugs in breast cancer patients. Palmatine, a natural alkaloid extracted from several medicinal plants in West Africa, has been studied in vitro and found to be a promising anticancer agent for treating triple negative breast cancer. This study seeks to investigate the therapeutic potential of palmatine in sensitizing resistant 4T1 triple negative breast cancer cells to doxorubicin therapy. Cell viability, Hoechst dye membrane transport, intracellular doxorubicin accumulation and Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) assays were performed. From the results, the intracellular concentrations of the Hoechst dye and doxorubicin were substantially increased following treatment with palmatine. In addition, palmatine inhibited the doxorubicin efflux activity of the Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) by stimulating the activity of the ATPase enzymes. A combination of low concentrations of palmatine and verapamil best achieved these results. This research highlights the use of palmatine as a chemosensitizer to aid the treatment of triple negative breast cancer disease.

Chromolaena odorata (L.) K&R (Asteraceae) invasion effects on soil microbial biomass and activities in a forest-savanna mosaic

Plant invasion may have significant ecological and socio-economic impacts across agroecologies. Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) is one of the world’s most invasive plants albeit it is considered a suitable fallow plant in West Africa. However, its impacts on soil biological processes are poorly understood. This study was conducted in intermingled forest and savanna sites invaded by C. odorata in Central Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa) to bridge this knowledge gap. Invaded forest sites (COFOR) were compared to adjacent natural forest fragments (FOR) while invaded savanna sites (COSAV) were compared to adjacent natural savanna fragments (SAV). Soil (0–10 cm depth) physico-chemical variables, including soil organic C (SOC), total soil N and available N and P concentrations were measured. Additionally, soil microbial biomass (MBC), carbon mineralization (Cmin), acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and fluorescein diacetate were measured. Further, the MBC/SOC ratio and the metabolic quotient (qCO2) were calculated. An index of invasion effect (IE) computed as the cumulative percent change in the microbial and enzyme activities was determined for each ecosystem context. Results showed that soil MBC and MBC/SOC ratio declined in COFOR relative to FOR. In general, Cmin, enzymatic activities, qCO2 and available N and P significantly increased in the C. odorata sites relative to the respective reference ecosystems, particularly savanna, potentially due to a larger gap in the litters’ quality. As a result, the invasion effect was twice as high in savanna (IE = 292.8%) as in forest (IE = 147.5%). However, a Principal Component Analysis showed that the COSAV were close to COFOR stands without mixing, probably due to contrasting initial soil organic matter and clay contents. These results improved our knowledge on the changes in soil microbial attributes and the mechanisms of soil fertility restoration or improvement in response to C. odorata invasion in natural forests and savannas of West Africa.

Palmatine Modulates Triple Negative Mammary Carcinoma by Regulating the Endogenous Function of p53, p21 and Mdm2

Natural products and their bioactive constituents have been investigated for centuries and recognized as a source of valuable therapeutic candidates in the development of contemporary anticancer drugs. Triple negative breast cancers are a sub type of malignant cells formed in the breast tissue caused by uncontrolled and abnormal division. Palmatine, a naturally occurring alkaloid extracted from several medicinal plants in West Africa,has not been extensively investigated for its anti-breast cancer properties especially in triple-negative mammary carcinoma. The 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer cells were transplanted orthotopically into the mammary fat pad of the female balb/c mice. Tumor volume,tumor weight, histology and immunohistochemical analysis were carried out.After 28 days, palmatine (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) in a dose-dependent manner decreased tumor volume (190.80 ±19.14, 25.40 ± 2.82, 14.20 ± 1.85), reduced tumor weight (1.035± 0.04, 0.8027± 0.01, 0.5090±0.04), inhibited tumor growth (31%, 46%, 66%) and protected against morphological dysplasia induced by the carcinoma (3.50 ± 0.29, 2.25 ± 0.25, 1.75 ± 0.25)respectively. Also, palmatine increased the activity of the tumor protein p53, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) and mouse double minute 2(Mdm2) compared to the untreated carcinoma bearingmice. Overall, palmatine protected against triple negative mammary carcinoma and can be a valuable anticancer compound to treat breast diseases.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Ageratum conyzoides with Antifungal Activity on the Lasiodiplodia theobromae Strain in the Region of Kisangani and DR Congo

Aims: To determine the chemical composition of essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides with antifungal activity on the strain of Lasiodiplodia theobromae in the Kisangani region.
 Location and Duration of Studies: Faculty of Sciences of University of Kisangani (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Faculty of Biosciences Engineering of University of Ghent (Belgium), between May to November 2019.
 Methodology: The essential oil from the leaves of A. conyzoides was extracted by hydrodistillation. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) was used as a culture medium. In vitro evaluation of its antifungal activity was performed on PDA medium and expressed as percentage of inhibition (PI).
 Results: The extracted essential oil (with a yield of 0.63%) showed a PI of 91.63% on the strain of L. theobromae after two days of incubation. It consists of at least 23 compounds, of which seven are in the majority (abundances greater than 1.5% and represent 92.05%), namely Precocene I (38.33%), Beta-caryophyllene (26.51%), Beta-sesquiphellandrene (8.63%), Beta-cubebene (7.91%), Alpha-muurolene (4.95%), 1.5.9.9-Tetramethyl-1.4.7-cycloundecatriene (3.04%), Cis-beta-farnesene (2.99%). The hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes are the most frequent compounds (58.95%).
 Discussion: Compared to the A. conyzoides saponins the PI obtained from the essential oil is higher. The essential oil chemotype obtained from the leaves of A. conyzoides is of the Precocene I type, similar to the oils from the stems and flowers of the same plant in West Africa.
 Conclusion: The essential oil of A. conyzoides has a very high inhibitory power on L. theobromae. It mainly contains the Precocene and the hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes. Assessment of the antifungal activity of each separate molecule should be considered.

Xylopia aethiopica ethanol seed extract suppresses Cadmium chloride-induced ovary and gonadotropins toxicity in adult female Wistar rats.

Objective:Xylopia aethiopica is a common plant in West Africa, with wide applications in trado-medical management of several diseases. Thus, our study aimed to analyze the histology and hormonal effects of ethanol extracts of Xylopia aethiopica seeds on cadmium chloride-induced reproductive dysfunction in female Wistar rats.Methods:We used twenty-five rats weighing 120-150g for this study. The rats were divided into five groups (n=5). Group 1: received only distilled water orally; Group 2: received 2 mg/kg cadmium chloride orally; Group 3: received 2 mg/kg cadmium chloride plus 50 mg/kg Xylopia aethiopica seeds orally; Group 4: received 2 mg/kg cadmium chloride plus 100 mg/kg Xylopia aethiopica seeds orally, and Group 5: received 100 mg/kg Xylopia aethiopica seeds only, orally. We administered the extracts for 14 days, after which we slaughtered the animals following chloroform anesthesia. We took the blood samples by cardiac puncture for hormonal assay. The ovaries and uterus were harvested for histology. We analyzed the data using ANOVA, and the differences in mean values were considered significant at p<0.05.Results:The body weight of the rats showed a dose-dependent reduction (p<0.05), compared with the controls. Xylopia aethiopica seeds significantly (p<0.05) reversed the detrimental effects of Cadmium on LH and FSH. The histological analysis of the ovary showed significant improvement upon treatment with Xylopia aethiopica extract in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusions:The ameliorative effects of Xylopia aethiopica against cadmium chloride-induced reproductive toxicity in female Wistar rats may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

Study of the Acute Toxicity and Antipyretic Activity of the Aqueous Extract of the Bark Distemonanthus benthamianus Baill (Caesalpiniaceae: Leguminosae -Caesalpinioideae)

Aims: Distemonanthus benthamianus is a widespread plant in West Africa. The bark of its stem is used popularly to treat a variety of illnesses, including fever, bronchitis, rheumatism and malaria. The objective of this work is to evaluate the antipyretic activity of the aqueous extract of the bark of Distemonanthus benthamianus.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The aqueous extract of the bark of D. benthamianus was tested for their acute oral toxicity in rats. Antipyretic activity was studied in rats of the Wistar strain made feverish after subcutaneous injection of an aqueous suspension of brewer's yeast (Saccharomycete cerevisiae) 20% compared to aspirin.&#x0D; Results: This study showed that administration of the extract at doses of 300, 2000 and 5000 mg / kg / kg dry extract in rats showed no acute toxicity or adverse effects. The results showed that the best antipyretic activity of the extract was recorded at a dose of 800 mg / kg, at the third hour, with a decrease in fever from 39.29 ± 0.14°C to 37.75 ± 0.25°C, i.e. a percentage inhibition of 57% against 62% for the standard molecule (p&gt; 0.05). At this dose, CRP was 3.85 ± 0.1 mg / L compared to that of the healthy control which was 2.78 ± 0.35 mg / L. The results of the albumin assay did not show a significant difference between the treated and untreated fever groups and the healthy control group. In addition, the results showed that the leukocyte level in the feverish control rats is very high (18.84 103 / mm3 of leukocytes) compared to the healthy and treated control rats.&#x0D; Conclusion: The aqueous extract of the bark of Distemonanthus benthamianus is not oral toxic and has interesting antipyretic activities similar to aspirin. The results obtained confirm the validity of the traditional indication of this plant in the management of fever by African populations.

Smart renewable electricity portfolios in West Africa

The worldwide growth of variable renewable power sources necessitates power system flexibility to safeguard the reliability of electricity supply. Yet today, flexibility is mostly delivered by fossil fuel power plants. Hydropower can be a renewable alternative source of flexibility, but only if operated according to adequate strategies considering hourly-to-decadal and local-to-regional energy and water needs. Here, we present a new model to investigate hydro–solar–wind complementarities across these scales. We demonstrate that smart management of present and future hydropower plants in West Africa can support substantial grid integration of solar and wind power, limiting natural gas consumption while avoiding ecologically harmful hydropower overexploitation. We show that pooling regional resources and planning transmission grid expansion according to spatiotemporal hydro–solar–wind synergies are crucial for optimally exploiting West Africa’s renewable potential. By 2030, renewable electricity in such a regional power pool, with solar and wind contributing about 50%, could be at least 10% cheaper than electricity from natural gas. A smart management of hydropower, combined with solar and wind energy, can provide the flexibility needed to power West Africa and at cheaper cost than using natural gas, according to a simulation model.

Agent-Based Model of Cocoa Mirids at the Scale of a Cocoa Farm

Abstract Cocoa beans are vital for the chocolate industries, with some African countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon) currently having 72% of the worldwide cocoa production. However, cocoa cultivation faces many threats such as diseases and insects. The most damaging insect that attacks cocoa plant in West Africa is the mirid. The previous works on the mirids accentuate their attention on the macroscopic view of the mirids. Considering the complexity of the environment where mirids live, it is difficult to properly understand the mirids’ dynamics without considering the individual behaviors of the mirids population. The representation of the mirids’ dynamics enables the ability to test many use-case scenarios. To this end, Multi-agent Systems are a suitable paradigm to model complex systems bringing out the interactions between individuals and their environment, along with the impact of their behavior. Therefore, we propose in this paper an agent-based model of the mirids’ dynamics in a cocoa farm. To build this model, we rely on the Agent-oriented Software Process for Engineering Complex Systems (ASPECS) process.

Divination with Plants in West Africa

The Sèmè make particularly abundant use of plants in the field of divination. Diviners practice their art with the assistance of a bush spirit that comes to live with them at home. Plants serve as material support for settling this bush spirit in the diviner's home and as powerful objects on the divination scene. Each species of plant plays one or several specific roles. This article is based on extensive field research and the analysis of the meaning of the plants used in divination (names in the Sèmè language, ritual use). It describes the role of plant species and their symbolic roles in settling the bush spirit in the diviner's home and during the divination process. Although similar to those of other societies located in the Volta River Basin, the Sèmè divination practices show some original aspects.

Genetic diversity and distribution of Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton under climate change scenarios in West Africa.

Climate change is predicted to impact species’ genetic diversity and distribution. We used Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton, an economically important species distributed in the Sudano-Sahelian savannah belt of West Africa, to investigate the impact of climate change on intraspecific genetic diversity and distribution. We used ten nuclear and two plastid microsatellite markers to assess genetic variation, population structure and differentiation across thirteen sites in West Africa. We projected suitable range, and potential impact of climate change on genetic diversity using a maximum entropy approach, under four different climate change scenarios. We found higher genetic and haplotype diversity at both nuclear and plastid markers than previously reported. Genetic differentiation was strong for chloroplast and moderate for the nuclear genome. Both genomes indicated three spatially structured genetic groups. The distribution of Senegalia senegal is strongly correlated with extractable nitrogen, coarse fragments, soil organic carbon stock, precipitation of warmest and coldest quarter and mean temperature of driest quarter. We predicted 40.96 to 6.34 per cent of the current distribution to favourably support the species’ ecological requirements under future climate scenarios. Our results suggest that climate change is going to affect the population genetic structure of Senegalia senegal, and that patterns of genetic diversity are going to influence the species’ adaptive response to climate change. Our study contributes to the growing evidence predicting the loss of economically relevant plants in West Africa in the next decades due to climate change.

Anticancer Potentials of Phytochemicals from Some Indigenous Food and Medicinal Plants of West Africa

A selected number of potential anticancer agents in phytochemicals isolated from some indigenous food and medicinal plants of the West African sub-region, has been reviewed. The attempt has benefited from a store of knowledge on the characterized and identified phytochemicals from indigenous plants by organic chemists, in the past six or so decades. Such compounds as satisfied the structure-activity-relationships with known anticancer active agents were selected and profiled and cover phytochemical classes as: alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and ‘miscellaneous’, the latter class comprising compounds considered chemically inappropriate for the previous classes. Anticancer activities covered include: induction of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, selective cytotoxicity to tumor cells, reversal of multidrug resistance in cancer cells, and inhibition of metastasis. Food and medicinal uses of the source plants have also been described.

Invasive Plants of West Africa: Concepts, Overviews and Sustainable Management

Invasive species are considered as one of the most environmental challenges of the 21st century. They constitute the second cause of biodiversity loss and lead to high economic disruption and public health. Despite significant, financial and human investments made by countries and world conservation of biodiversity agencies, there are not strategies that lead to appropriate measures for sustainable management and control. The objective of this study is to assess the state of knowledge on invasive plants in West Africa and to promote knowledge and exchange information. It contributes also to establish in Western African region, a coordinated early warning system through a network of intervention. The paper discusses concepts and bio-ecology of invasive plants, gives precise indications on their diversity and distribution. To achieve the objectives, a literature review was carried out to collect data on invasive species from Western African countries. Therefore, different information sources included floras, database and collection were consulted. The results how that in West Africa, the information collected on invasive plants indicate that 113 invasive species are reported, distributed in 94 genera and 43 families. The most represented families are Poaceae (17 species) and Leguminosae (16 species). They are followed by Cyperaceae (9 species) and Asteraceae (6 species). Euphorbiaceae, Solanaceae and Nympheaceae have 4 species each one. The most common invasive species in West African countries are present in, at least, eight countries. They are: Chromolaena odorata, Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia molesta, Typha domingensis and Pistia stratiotes. Depending on data availability, the presence and importance of invasive plants vary from one country to another. It must be noticed that there are few data related to Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Nigeria. Recommendations were formulated to improve knowledge and sustainable management of invasive plants in West Africa. The expected results of this work should improve the understanding of issues related to invasive species at national and regional levels

Production of Cellulase and Xylanase by &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Aspergillus terreus&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; KJ829487 Using Cassava Peels as Subtrates

Cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) is one of the most important food plants in West Africa. Its peels are made up of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. This lignocellulolytic biomass can be converted using microbial enzymes to fermentable sugars which have wide range of biotechnological relevance in many fermentation processes. The aim of this study is to screen filamentous fungi from decaying cassava peels that are good producers of xylanases and cellulases. Decaying parts of cassava peels were obtained and brought to the laboratory for further work. Fungi were isolated, identified and screened for cellulase and xylanase production. Isolate with highest frequency of occurrence and enzyme production was identified using phenotypic and molecular method. Optimisation of growth conditions for enzymes production was monitored using the DNSA method, also saccharification of cassava peel were carried out using the enzymes obtained from the isolate. Aspergillus terreus KJ829487 was the predominant fungus. It produces cellulases and xylanases optimally at 40°C, pH 6 and 8, utilising carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) or xylose and yeast extracts as its carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. Saccharification of the peels yielded 584 mg/L glucose, 78 mg/L xylose and 66 mg/L rhamnose. Aspergillus terreus KJ829487 obtained from cassava peels have the ability to produce high concentration cellulases and xylanases which effectively hydrolysed the lignocelluloses’ biomass to fermentable sugars.