Objective: This study seeks to describe the pattern of intracranial tumours in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) based on patient demographics, clinical presentation, spatial distribution of tumour and histological findings. Method: The study design is retrospective and descriptive. Data was obtained from the clinical records of patients with intracranial tumours treated in our neurosurgery unit between January 2010 to December 2015, and histology reports obtained from the histopathology unit. Patients with intracranial tumours without definitive histological diagnosis were excluded. Results: Of the 102 histologically diagnosed brain tumours, out of 335 brain tumour cases seen in the period under review, 58 (56.9%) were females and 44 (43.1%) were males (p = 0.031). Gliomas were the commonest intracranial tumours-39(38.2%) followed by Meningiomas 37(36.2%) and Pituitary Adenoma-9(8.8%). Astrocytoma was the commonest type of Glioma comprising 30(77%) of the 39 cases. Meningotheliomatous meningioma was the commonest type of meningioma with 11 (29.7%) of 37 cases. Of the 39 Gliomas 17(43.6%) were males and 22(56.4%) were females, while for the Meningioma 17(46%) were males and 20(54%) were females. The commonest symptom was headache (64%) and the commonest tumour location was supratentorial (77.5%). The crude incidence rate of intracranial tumours in this study was 1.34 per 100,000 populations per year. Conclusion: Gliomas are the commonest intracranial tumours seen in our series. Overall, females were more commonly affected than males in most brain tumours in this series, including both gliomas and meningiomas.

SUMMARY: Rauwolfia vomitoria (RV) has potent sedative effect, which may result in severe unpleasant consequences if not controlled. This necessitated this study on the effect of Gongronema latifolium (GL) on RV-induced behaviour, biochemical activities, and histomorphology of the cerebral cortex. Eighteen male Wistar rats of average weight 266 g were grouped into three (1-3). Group 1 was the control administered 0.5 mL of Tween®20, while groups 2 and 3 were administered 150 mg/kg of RV, and a combination of 150 mg/kg of RV and 200 mg/kg of GL (RV+GL), respectively for seven days. Twelve hours after treatments, open field neurobehavioral test was carried-out and the animals euthanized. Their sera were analyzed, and their cerebral cortices routinely processed by H&E method. There was lower (p<0.05) ambulatory, rearing and freezing activities in the RV group, while there was no difference in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, as well as serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels in all the groups. Cerebral cortical neurohistology of RV and RV+GL groups showed most neurons appearing hypertrophied with pyknotic nuclei in some, and less cellular population compared with the control group. RV produces sedative behaviour, and cerebral cortical neurohistological changes, which GL combination may help modulate.

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Background: Rauwolfia vomitoria is a plant with sedative properties found useful in the management of psychotic disorders, with adverse effects being reported on its use in different brain areas.Aims and Objectives: To investigate the acute effect of combination of Rauwolfia vomitoria with either Gongronema latifolium or Vernonia amygdalina on spatial learning and memory, and some bio-molecules in rats.Materials and Methods: 24 adult male Wistar rats weighing between 220 g - 300 g were equally divided into four groups (1-4). Group 1 animals were the control treated with 0.5 ml of Tween 20. Groups 2, 3 and 4 animals were administered respectively; 150 mg/kg of R. vomitoria, a combination of 150 mg/kg of R. vomitoria and 200 mg/kg of G. latifolium, and a combination of 150 mg/kg of R. vomitoria and 200 mg/kg of V. amygdalina for seven days. On days 4-7 concurrent with treatment, spatial learning and memory test was carried out using the Morris water maze, and the animals were sacrificed twelve hours after the last treatment. Their sera were used for enzyme and other bio-molecules analysis.Results: There was no difference in spatial learning and memory. The activities of aspartate aminotrans­ferase, alanine aminotrans­ferase and alkaline phos­phatase, and the serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels were also not different compared to the control group.Conclusion: The dose and duration of administration of the extract of R. vomitoria either alone, or in combination with G. latifolium or V. amygdalina may not affect spatial learning or memory, or alter serum biomolecules.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.7(1) 2015 82-87

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