Thonningia Research Articles

Extreme plastomes in holoparasitic Balanophoraceae are not the norm

BackgroundBalanophoraceae plastomes are known for their highly condensed and re-arranged nature alongside the most extreme nucleotide compositional bias known to date, culminating in two independent reconfigurations of their genetic code. Currently, a large portion of the Balanophoraceae diversity remains unexplored, hindering, among others, evolutionary pattern recognition. Here, we explored newly sequenced plastomes of Sarcophyte sanguinea and Thonningia sanguinea. The reconstructed plastomes were analyzed using various methods of comparative genomics based on a representative taxon sampling.ResultsSarcophyte, recovered sister to the other sampled Balanophoraceae s. str., has plastomes up to 50% larger than those currently published. Its gene set contains five genes lost in any other species, including matK. Five cis-spliced introns are maintained. In contrast, the Thonningia plastome is similarly reduced to published Balanophoraceae and retains only a single cis-spliced intron. Its protein-coding genes show a more biased codon usage compared to Sarcophyte, with an accumulation of in-frame TAG stop codons. Structural plastome comparison revealed multiple, previously unknown, structural rearrangements within Balanophoraceae.ConclusionsFor the “minimal plastomes” of Thonningia, we propose a genetic code change identical to sister genus Balanophora. Sarcophyte however differs drastically from our current understanding on Balanophoraceae plastomes. With a less-extreme nucleotide composition, there is no evidence for an altered genetic code. Using comparative genomics, we identified a hotspot for plastome reconfiguration in Balanophoraceae. Based on previously published and newly identified structural reconfigurations, we propose an updated model of evolutionary plastome trajectories for Balanophoraceae, illustrating a much greater plastome diversity than previously known.

GC-MS/MS Quantification of EGFR Inhibitors, β-Sitosterol, Betulinic Acid, (+) Eriodictyol, (+) Epipinoresinol, and Secoisolariciresinol, in Crude Extract and Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Thonningia sanguinea.

Medicinal plants are widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. Thonningia sanguinea Vahl is widespread in African traditional medicine, and exhibits antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer activities. T. sanguinea is a source of phytomedicinal agents that have previously been isolated and structurally elucidated. Herein, gas chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to quantify epipinoresinol, β-sitosterol, eriodictyol, betulinic acid, and secoisolariciresinol contents in the methanolic crude extract and its ethyl acetate fraction for the first time. The ethyl acetate fraction was rich in epipinoresinol, eriodictyol, and secoisolariciresinol at concentrations of 2.3, 3.9, and 2.4 mg/g of dry extract, respectively. The binding interactions of these compounds with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were computed using a molecular docking study. The results revealed that the highest binding affinities for the EGFR signaling pathway were attributed to eriodictyol and secoisolariciresinol, with good binding energies of −19.93 and −16.63 Kcal/mol, respectively. These compounds formed good interactions with the key amino acid Met 769 as the co-crystallized ligand. So, the ethyl acetate fraction of T. sanguinea is a promising adjuvant therapy in cancer treatments.

Thonningiasanguinea Extract: Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities Supported by Chemical Composition and Molecular Docking Simulations.

The current study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of Thonningia sanguinea whole-plant extract. The total phenolic content was determined using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and found to be 980.1 mg/g, calculated as gallic acid equivalents. The antioxidant capacity was estimated for the crude extract and the phenolic portion of T. sanguinea, whereupon both revealed a dose-dependent scavenging rate of DPPH• with EC50 values of 36.33 and 11.14 µg/mL, respectively. Chemical profiling of the plant extract was achieved by LC-ESI-TOF-MS/MS analysis, where 17 compounds were assigned, including ten compounds detected in the negative mode and seven detected in the positive mode. The phenolic portion exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, with IC50 values of 16.67 and 13.51 μg/mL, respectively. Phenolic extract treatment caused apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, with total apoptotic cell death 18.45-fold higher compared to untreated controls, arresting the cell cycle at G2/M by increasing the G2 population by 39.7%, compared to 19.35% for the control. The apoptotic investigation was further validated by the upregulation of proapoptotic genes of P53, Bax, and caspases-3,8 9, and the downregulation of Bcl-2 as the anti-apoptotic gene. Bcl-2 inhibition was also virtualized by good binding interactions through a molecular docking study. Taken together, phenolic extract exhibited promising cytotoxic activity in MCF-7 cells through apoptosis induction and antioxidant activation, so further fractionation studies are recommended for the phenolic extract for specifying the most active compound to be developed as a novel anti-cancer agent.

Effect of Thonningia sanguinea (Balanophoraceae) on zootechnical and biochemical parameters of broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to evaluate growth performance, selected biochemical serum parameters adding in broiler chickens provide with drinking water containing an aqueous extract of Thonningia sanguinea (THOS). Two hundred 1-days-old broiler chickens were acclimated for two weeks. Then they were randomly divided into two equal groups of 100 chickens. In experimental group, aqueous extracts of T. sanguinea were added to water drinkers (10 g.L-1 water) from day 15 to day 22. Through the experience, body weight, feed consumption, and number of dead birds were recorded once a week. At 15, 22, 29, 36 and 45 days of rearing, 20 birds were randomly selected in each group for serum biochemical profile analysis involving, alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), creatin phospoho-kinase (CPK) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The analyses reveal that the supplementing of aqueous extract of THOS contributed to increase in body weight (p<0.05), decrease consumption index and had a positive effect on boilers survival. In addition, none of biochemical parameters were statistically different among the treatment. These findings, indicate that drinking water supplementation at 10 g.L-1 of aqueous extract of THOS can be used as growth promoters in boiler water, and research to elucidate the mechanism for potentially enhanced growth in boilers is required.

Purification of thonningianins A and B and four further derivatives from Thonningia sanguinea by one‐ and two‐dimensional centrifugal partition chromatography

Thonningia sanguinea is a parasitic herb widely used in traditional African medicine. Dihydrochalcone glucosides (unsubstituted, substituted with hexahydroxydiphenoyl or galloyl moieties) are the main constituents in the subaerial parts of this plant. In the present study, purification of the six major compounds from a methanol extract of the plant's subaerial parts was achieved by centrifugal partition chromatography. A first dimension centrifugal partition chromatography separation with the solvent system methyl tert‐butyl ether/1,2‐dimethoxyethane/water (1:2:1) in the ascending mode enabled the isolation of the two major bioactive compounds thonningianin A and B from 350 mg of methanol extract within only 16 min with respectable yields (25.7 and 21.1 mg), purities (87.1 and 85%), and recoveries (71.2 and 70.4%). Using a multiple heart‐cutting strategy, the remaining four major dihydrochalcone glucosides of the extract were further separated in a second dimension centrifugal partition chromatography with the solvent system ethyl acetate/1,2‐dimethoxyethane/water (2:1:1) in the descending mode with high purities (88.9–98.8%).

Folklore medicinal plants used in liver disease: A review

The liver is the largest organ of the body and the main site of essential biochemical reactions in the human body. This is useful for detoxification of toxic substances and the production of biological molecules. Therefore, liver damage leads to severe consequences. Because herbs and herbal antioxidants are used to detoxify and treat liver disorders, this review was conducted to report the most important medicinal plants affecting liver disorders and diseases. Key terms liver cancer, medicinal plants, liver disorder and medicinal plants, liver disease and medicinal plants, effect of extract and essential oil of effective medicinal plants on liver tissues in rats, mice, and laboratory mice, and effect of extract and essential oil of medicinal plants on liver disease were used to retrieve relevant publications indexed in databases IranMedex, Irandoc, ISI, PubMed, Scopus, SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar. Based on the evidence found in this review, the medicinal plants Zingiber officinale, Cucurbita pepo, Citrus reticulate, Petroselinum crispum, Andrographis paniculata, Silybum marianum, Camellia sinensis, Nasturtium officinale, Physalis peruviana, Thonningia sanguinea, Nigella sativa, Cichorium intybus L., Terminalia catappa, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Curcuma zanthorrhiza, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Kigelia africana, Alchornea cordifolia, Boerhavia diffusa, Schisandrae chinensis, Tinospora cordifolia, Brassica rapa subsp. rapa, Lygodium flexuosum, Carica papaya, Solanum fastigiatum, and Cheilanthes farinosa are some of the most important medicinal plants affecting liver disorders and diseases. © 2018 BRNSS Publication Hub. All rights reserved.

Dihydrochalcone Glucosides from the Subaerial Parts of Thonningia sanguinea and Their in Vitro PTP1B Inhibitory Activities.

Six new and four known dihydrochalcone glucoside derivatives (1-10), the phenylpropanoid coniferin (11), and the lignans (+)-pinoresinol (12) and lariciresinol (13) were isolated from the subaerial plant parts of Thonningia sanguinea in the course of a screening campaign for new antidiabetic lead compounds. The structures of the new substances were elucidated by HRESIMS, NMR, GC-MS, and ECD data evaluation. 2'- O-(3-Galloyl-4,6- O- Sa-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-3-hydroxyphloretin (4), 2'- O-(4,6- O- Sa-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)phloretin (5), 2'- O-(3- O-galloyl-4,6- O- Sa-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)phloretin (6), and thonningianin B (9) showed moderate protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibition in an enzyme assay (IC50 values ranging from 19 to 25 μM), whereas thonningianin A (10) was identified as a more potent inhibitor (IC50 = 4.4 μM). The observed activity differences could be explained by molecular docking experiments. The activity of 10 could further be confirmed in HEPG2 liver carcinoma cells, where the compound was able to increase the level of phosphorylated insulin receptors in a concentration-dependent manner.

Chemical studies on the parasitic plant Thonningia sanguinea Vahl.

Thonningia sanguinea Vahl plays an important role in traditional medicine in many African cultures. A study of the n-hexane fraction of the whole plant of T. sanguinea led to the isolation of two glucocerebroside molecular species TSC-1 and TSC-2, one β-sitosteryl-3β-d-glucopyranoside-6′-O-fatty acid ester molecular species, TSS-1, and seven known triterpenes (1–7). The ethyl acetate fraction also afforded five known lignans (8–12) and one known flavanone (13). Their structures were elucidated by means of chemical and spectroscopic methods (methanolysis, NMR and mass spectrometry). Spectral analyses of the glucocerebrosides revealed mainly sphingosine-type (TSC-1) and phytosphingosine-type (TSC-2) cerebrosides, with both possessing mainly 2-hydroxy fatty acid and β-d-glucopyranose moieties. TSS-1 was found to be a β-sitosterol-type with fatty acid methyl esters and β-d-glucopyranoside moieties. The classes of compounds isolated from this plant are well known for their interesting biological activities including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, antiinflammatory and analgesic. They may therefore be responsible in part or in whole for these activities, hence validating the traditional uses of the plant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of all these compounds from T. sanguinea.

Therapeutic activity of Thonningia sanguinea aqueous extract, Vahl on an experimental colibacillosis in chicken

Broiler breeding is faced with serious diseases, including colibacillosis, which is the leading cause of antibiotic therapy and the second leading cause of mortality in poultry after salmonellosis. It is caused by avian pathogens of E. coli. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract of Thonningia sanguinea on certain therapeutic parameters in broiler chickens during experimental colibacillosis compared to a usual antimicrobial against colibacillary diarrhea (colistin). For each parameter, three lots of chicken meat were used: two treated batches, one with the plant extract and the other with colistin and one untreated contaminated batch (control). The study was spread over two weeks and for one week each chicken in the treated batch absorbed 500 mg of plant extract daily. The results show that the aqueous extract of this plant causes an improved clinical index, increased mean weight gain, reduced organ damage, elimination of germs in affected organs, and decreased mortality compared to the control group. On all the parameters, other than the moisture content, the plant extract had a more beneficial effect than colistin. Under these conditions, this plant could be used as a veterinary product to control avian colibacillosis.

Sunbird surprise: A test of the predictive power of the syndrome concept

Floral syndromes are thought to be the product of convergent evolution, where the floral characters of unrelated species have evolved similar forms in response to shared pollinators. A contentious corollary is that floral form should be predictive of pollinators. In the forests of Uganda, we came upon the inflorescences of Thonningia sanguinea, a parasitic plant which previous literature suggested was part of a brood site pollination mutualism with flies (Calliphoridae and Muscidae). The general phenotype of the inflorescence suggested pollination by vertebrates, and the phenotypic similarity with several species of rodent pollinated Protea suggested to us that terrestrial mammals may be important pollinators. Pollinator observations and quantifications of pollen loads demonstrated that T. sanguinea is not visited by mammals, and that sunbirds are likely the most effective pollinators. The fact that the syndrome concept drove us to question the published literature on fly pollination demonstrates the usefulness of the concept. However, due to several phenotypic traits which did not conform to the classic sunbird pollination syndrome, sunbird visitation came as a surprise. While the syndrome concept is very useful, pollinator predictions based on syndrome traits should always be treated as working hypotheses.

Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties of tropical African plants traditionally used in folk medicine

An amazing diversity of traditionally used plants is found in the tropical areas of Africa and many of these plants have not or only insufficiently been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate eight African tropical plants, belonging to miscellaneous plant families, for estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties and to isolate and characterize single compounds obtained from these herbal extracts. Plant materials of Brillantaisia owariensis (BO), Palisota schweinfurthii (PS), Ricinodendron heudelotii ssp. africanum (RH), Thonningia sanguinea (TS), Hymenocardia ulmoides (HS), Garcinia mannii (GM), Alchornae cordifolia (AC), and Xylopium aethiopicum (XA) were extracted by methanol after defatting with petroleum ether. Experimentally, all extracts were tested using estrogen receptor subtype specific transactivation assays in human bone-derived U2OS cells. Cytotoxicity was measured by using MTT assay in U2OS cells. Overall, we identified two of the herbal extracts (RH, TS) with high and one (AC) with moderate estrogenic activities, three (BO, PS, HS) with moderate anti-estrogenic properties. One extract (GM) showed preferential estrogen receptor subtype specific anti-estrogenic properties. A strong cytotoxicity was detected for one extract (XA). With this study on the estrogenic properties of plants of tropical origin, we provide evidence for agonistic activity of three plant extracts and antagonistic properties in four cases which support the traditional use for gynecological or reproductive purposes of some investigated plants. In order to prevent intoxications of the local population the observed cytotoxic extract has to be investigated in detail. Acknowledgements: We thank Dr. Thea Lautenschlager and Prof. Christoph Neinhuis in collaboration with their partners in Angola for collecting and providing the plant material.

AnIn SituStudy on the Effects of Extracts ofTaraxacum Officinale, Paulliniia Pinnata and Thonningia Sanguineaon Mitochondrial Function

Taraxacum officinale leaves are popular among Ghanaians as vegetable and/or beverage while extracts of Taraxacum officinale, Paulliniia pinnata and Thonningia sanguinea are present in common herbal remedies widely available without prescription in Ghana. This study was therefore aimed to identify possible interactions between these medicinal plant extracts and mitochondrial respiratory chain activity. The effects of these extracts on mitochondrial oxygen consumption were therefore investigated in situ using permeabilized mouse cardiac muscle fiber preparations and a substrate-inhibitor titration. The results showed that the ethanolic fraction of T. officinale leaves significantly increased the respiration rate in presence of rotenone and the state 3/state 2 ratio (respiratory control ratio) while the ethanolic extract of P. pinnata stem significantly decreased succinate-stimulated respiration. The aqueous extract of T. sanguinea also significantly decreased respiration in presence of rotenone. Practical Applications The present study revealed that the extracts from Taraxacum officinale, Paulliniia pinnata and Thonningia sanguinea exhibited the potential to influence mitochondrial respiratory chain function. The result presented in this study provides evidence that T. officinale offers an opportunity to be explored as a natural energy booster. The decrease in succinate-stimulated respiration caused by the extract from P. pinnata provides further evidence for its use as a fish poison and strongly suggests that its use in herbal remedies may be detrimental. Furthermore, information about similar effects caused by traditional remedies would be useful not only in the discovery of novel therapeutic agents but also identification of extracts with the potential for long term toxicity.

COX-1 inhibitory effect of medicinal plants of Ghana

Plants used to treat inflammatory ailments, pain, fever and infections in Ghana, were tested for COX-1 inhibitory activity. Ethanolic extracts of 17 species were tested in a COX-1 assay. The extracts of Gardenia ternifolia, Thonningia sanguinea, Triumfetta rhomboidea, and the root of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides showed an inhibitory effect over 90% in the final concentration 0.1μg/μL. The HPLC profiles indicated that the extracts of the four active species did not contain tannins. The observed in vitro activities support the use of some of the plant species in the traditional medicine system in Ghana.

Mise en évidence des propriétés antistaphylococciques des flavonoïdes totaux de Thonningia sanguinea (Vahl), une plante de la pharmacopée ivoirienne

The objective of this present work is to estimate the antibacterial activities of the total flavonoids extracted from Thonningia sanguinea (Vahl), on the in vitro growth of strains implied in the staphylococcosis. The antibacterial essays were realized on the methods of distribution in solid medium and dilution in liquid medium coupled with the spreading on Sabouraud agar medium. A reference strain (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) and two hospital clinical strains (Staphylococcus aureus Meti-S and Staphylococcus aureus Meti-R) were used in this study. Among the three strains tested, Staphylococcus aureus Meti-S is the most sensitive with 50 mg/ml as values of Minimal Inhibitive Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Following this work, it appears that the total flavonoids of Thonningia sanguinea have bactericidal powers of all strains tested. This antibacterial activity observed could justify the use of the plant in the treatment of staphylococcosis in parts of Côte-d’Ivoire.

ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF THE AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF THONNINGIA SANGUINE VAHL. (BALANOPHORACEAE)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antifungal properties of Aqueous and Ethanolic extracts of Thonningia sanguinea Vahl (Balanophoraceae). Thisparasitic plant is commonly used in Ivory Coast and in many other parts of West Africa to treat dermatitis, diarrhea and asthma. Aqueous and Ethanolic extracts of Thonningia sanguine were evaluated for their antifungal activities by double dilution method against three strains: Candida albicans (C. albicans) Cryptococcus neoformans (C.neoformans) and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus). The phytochemical screening was also evaluated. Antifungal tests indicated that the different extracts studied were active on all selected strains, but their inhibitory activity was more pronounced on C. neoformans compared with A. fumigatus and C. albicans. In addition, our works revealed that the aqueous extract (ATE) was a fungicide on three tested germs while ethanolic extract (ETE) was fungicidal on C. neoformans and fungistatic on the two strains. The phytochemical revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids. The results showed that the aqueous extract and ethanolic extract of Thonningia sanguine Vahl. (Balanophoraceae) exerted an antifungal effect on C. neoformans, A. fumigatus and C. albicans and supports its traditional use in herbal medicine.

In vitro anticoccidial activity of Thonningia sanguinea extract on Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix sporozoites cells

Avian coccidiosis is a parasitic disease which causes considerable economic loss in poultry. The emergence of anticoccidial drug resistance enhances the need for development of novel approach and alternative controls strategies such as plants extract. The anticoccidial activity of the aqueous extract of Thonningia sanguinea (AE-THOS) was evaluated on Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix sporozoites cells invasions in vitro. The Madin-Darby-Bovine-Kidney (MDBK) cells invasions rates of E. tenella and E. necatrixsporozoites untreated and treated with AE-THOS were determined at 3, 12 and 24 h post-infection (PI). The results have shown that AE-THOS concentrations above 2.5 mg/mL inhibits significantly (p < 0.05) the cells invasions of sporozoites of both species ofE. tenella and E. necatrix. AE-THOS could be use against avian coccidiosis. Key words: Thonningia sanguinea, Eimeria tenella, Eimeria necatrix, MDBK cells, sporozoites.

A novel brood‐site pollination mutualism?: the root holoparasite Thonningia sanguinea (Balanophoraceae) and an inflorescence‐feeding fly in the tropical rainforests of West Africa

AbstractThe Balanophoraceae is a unique angiosperm family that fully parasitizes the roots of trees. Although the pollination systems of several genera in this family have been reported, little is known of their diversity. In the present study, we investigated the pollination biology of Thonningia sanguinea (Balanophoraceae) in the tropical rainforests of Guinea, West Africa. Female flies of the families Muscidae and Calliphoridae as well as Technomyrmex ants frequently visited flowers to consume nectar secreted from inflorescences. While feeding, their bodies attached to anthers or pollen grains. The most abundant flower‐visiting fly, Morellia sp. (Muscidae), was observed laying eggs on T. sanguinea, and the larvae fed only on the vegetative tissue of decaying male inflorescences. Our findings provide a new candidate of pollination mutualism involving plants that provide brood sites for their pollinators.

Host–parasite relations of an angiospermous root parasite (Thonningia sanguinea Vahl) in logged and unlogged sites of Budongo forest reserve, western Uganda

AbstractHost–parasite relationships of an angiospermous root parasite (Thonningia sanguinea) were investigated in logged and unlogged sites of Budongo Forest Reserve. Host trees were identified and their diameters measured in 20 × 20 m plots established randomly in sites where the parasites were presumed to occur. The distance of the point of attachment of the parasite from the base of the host stem was determined and overstorey density measured at the centre of each plot. There were more parasites in the logged than in the unlogged sites (878 and 425 individual parasites ha−1 respectively). The parasite was not host specific but Alchornea laxiflora (Benth) Pax and K.Hoffm, Celtis mildbraedii Engl and Lasiodiscus mildbraedii Engl had relatively more parasites than other species. The parasite could be found within a radius of 2 m from the base of the host stem. The diameter of hosts ranged from 1 to 95 cm. There was a positive correlation between overstorey density and occurrence of T. sanguinea. Conservation of T. sanguinea, therefore, requires maintenance of intact forests with closed canopies rather than logged sites with many gaps and hence low overstorey density.

The evaluation of selected ghanaian medicinal plants for cytotoxic activites

Cancer is still responsible for many deaths worldwide. Therefore, the need for an effective management, treatment and cure of cancer is undoubtedly crucial. In Ghana, several plants or herbal products are used by traditional healers for the management and/or the treatment of various cancers. However, the efficacies of these plant products as anticancer agents are often ill defined. In this study, the methanolic extracts of ten plant species were evaluated for cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines, DLD- 1, MCF-7 and M14, using the MTT assay. Extracts of Adenia lobata root, Clerodendrum capitatum leaves, Garcinia kola stem bark, Plumbago zeylanica leaves and Vernonia conferta root, showed relatively low cytotoxic activities while extracts of Ficus asperifolia leaves, Paullinia pinnata root and Thonningia sanguinea root exhibited moderate activity (IC50 values 40 – 55&#956;g/ml against at least one of the three cell lines). Croton membranaceus root extract exhibited markedly higher cytotoxic activities, particularly against the DLD-1 and MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 16.0 and 17.4&#956;g/ml respectively), while Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides bark extract was 2-3 fold more active against DLD-1 cells (IC50 = 16&#956;g/ml), than against the other cell lines. These results lend some support for the use of these species in traditional medicines for the treatment of cancer, especially for C. membranaceus and Z. xanthoxyloides.Journal of Science & Technology (Ghana) Vol. 27 (2) 2007: pp. 16-22

Efficiency of ethanol of Thonningia sanguinea against Cryptococcus neoformans

Herbal treatment of infectious diseases is a common practice in traditional society. One of the herbs used by African populations against skin and systemic infectious diseases is Thonningia sanguinea (THOS). In the Ivory Coast, Togo, and Ghana, this herb is used to prepare traditional remedies for diarrhoeas, asthma and mycoses. The latter account for a substantial number of the opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS. Some species of eumycetes, such as Cryptococcus neoformans, infect mainly immunocompromised patients but can sometimes infect immunocompetent hosts and they are often fatal. In this study we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts of T. sanguinea against C. neoformans (and several other microorganisms). We first assessed the fungal growth in vitro on agar medium. We then incubated the cultures for 48 h with various concentrations of THOS to determine the percentage of survival according to the concentration of THOS and the concentration required for 50% inhibition (IC50). The minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the total aqueous extract was 6.25 mg/mL. (THOS was thus most effective against C. neoformans). Accordingly we sought to improve the extract by preparing it with ethanol. This solution yielded an IC50=0.06 mg/mL and an MFC=0.098 mg/mL against C. neoformans.