International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry 2019; 5(5): 61-67 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijpc doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20190505.13 ISSN: 2575-5730 (Print); ISSN: 2575-5749 (Online) Microscopic Studies, Phytochemical and Biological Screenings of Ocimum canum Dorothée Dinangayi Tshilanda 1, * , Clément Liyongo Inkoto 2 , Kashala Mpongu 1 , Souzane Mata 3 , Paulin Kapepula Mutwale 4 , Damien Sha-Tshibey Tshibangu 1 , Gédéon Ngiala Bongo 3 , Ngbolua Koto-te-Nyiwa 3 , Pius Tshimankinda Mpiana 1 1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2 Department of Nutrition, Public Health School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 3 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4 Centre d’Etudes des Substances Naturelles d’Origine Végétale (CESNOV), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Dorothée Dinangayi Tshilanda, Clément Liyongo Inkoto, Kashala Mpongu, Souzane Mata, Paulin Kapepula Mutwale, Damien Sha-Tshibey Tshibangu, Gédéon Ngiala Bongo, Ngbolua Koto-te-Nyiwa, Pius Tshimankinda Mpiana. Microscopic Studies, Phytochemical and Biological Screenings of Ocimum canum. International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry. Vol. 5, No. 5, 2019, pp. 61-67. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20190505.13 Received: August 15, 2019; Accepted: October 7, 2019; Published: October 25, 2019 Abstract: It has been reported that more than 80% of the African population uses traditional medicine to primary healthcare. The aim of the study was to determine the histological elements, the phytochemical composition and evaluate the bioactivities of Ocimum canum in order to promote this plant used in Congolese traditional medicine. The earthworms were collected from the ponds of the secondary forest of Monastère Prieure Notre Dame de l’Assomption in Kinshasa city and the blood used in this study was provided by the Centre de Médecine Mixte et d’Anémie SS in Yolo-Sud quarter, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The histological elements were determined by microscopic examination while different metabolites were determined using thin layer chromatography. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of crystalliferous fibres, fragment of parenchyma, grandular and non-glandular pluricellular trichomes, spheroidal pollen grains, diacytic stomata, spiral vessels. With regard to chromatographic analysis, phytochemicals identified were anthocyanins, coumarins, flavonoids, terpenoids and iridoids. The extracts from O. canum showed good antihelminthic, antisickling and antioxidant activities related to their phytochemicalsAll these findings constitute a scientific evidence validating the use of this medicinal plant for the management of various ailments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Keywords: Antihelminthic Activity, Microscopic Features, Oleanolic Acid, Ocimum canum, Rosmarinic Acid 1. Introduction Phytotherapy has undergone a major expansion in recent years throughout the world, because not only that compounds synthetized from plants are infinitely more varied than those found in drugs that have several side effects, but they are also better tolerated by the human body [1]. Thus, medicinal plants are considered as a major and inexhaustible source of substances with therapeutic properties. They have shown through several studies various important biological activities including antisickling activity. The advantages offered by these compounds are constantly attracting the interest of several research projects in order to discover even many other active principles, particularly from endemic plants that have been less studied or not at all [1, 2]. Following the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80% of the African population uses traditional medicine to solve their primary health problem. The use of medicinal plants for various health problems is not only a choice, but is also linked to poverty and the high costs of modern medicines [3-6]. The