Cancer Screening by Computed Tomography Scanning in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Ghanaian Perspective.

Edmund K. Brakohiapa¹, Eric K. Ofori ², Jerry Coleman ³, William K. Antwi ⁴ and Klenam D. Tettey⁵

¹ University of Ghana Medical School,Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

^{2, 4} School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.

^3, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

⁵ Radiology Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

E-mail: ebrakohiapa2000@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Early diagnosis and treatment is of utmost importance when cancer management is concerned, since a good prognosis usually correlates well with a smaller tumour stage. This study aimed to ascertain the commonest sites of tumour occurrence, and the smallest size at which tumours can be detected using computed tomography scanning, to aid in advocacy for its use in early tumour detection. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using data extracted from request forms and corresponding radiological reports of 262 patients who presented for Computed Tomography (CT) scanning with a history indicative of a tumour at the Radiology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in January 2011. The request forms and their corresponding reports were obtained from the departmental archives. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 was used to analyse the data collected descriptively. Fifty-eight patients had focal tumours, 31 (53.4%) were males whiles 27 (46.6%) were females. The mean age and standard deviation of the 58 patients was 50.2 years ± 17.8. The smallest tumour size was less than 2cm and the largest was greater than 10cm.The three commonest tumour sites recorded in this study were the brain, kidney and liver in decreasing order of frequency. The study has given an indication of the smallest size and the three most common sites of tumour occurrence in the study population. In view of the high radiation burden from CT scanning, diagnosing tumours using ultrasound would be more appropriate, except in obese individuals where ultrasonographic visualisation is limited.

Antimicrobial Properties of Crude Ethanolic Extract of Ficus exasperata Root

Abraham-O, J.¹, Odiba, P.A.¹, Okpanachi, E.², Miachi, O.E.¹ and Ocheja, F.B.¹

¹Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria.

²Amnesty Hospital Ankpa, Kogi State, Nigeria.

E-mail: josephoyiguh@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Pathogenic microorganisms are becoming increasingly resistant to existing antibiotics at alarming rates, creating problems in health care delivery in man and animals, thus shifting attention towards the use of herbs by traditional healers. Also several important drugs have been discovered from plants which are now synthesized chemically for commercial purposes. In this study, the ethanolic extract of F. exasperata was screened against Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fresh roots of F. exasperata were collected from its natural habitat and extraction carried out using Soxhlet extractor. Agar well diffusion method was used to determine the inhibitory property and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract at 300 mg/ml, 400 mg/ml and 500 mg/ml. The extract did exhibit antimicrobial property on S. typhi;antimicrobial effect was observed on S. dysenteriae at 500 mg/ml which is the MIC while P. aeruginosa was susceptible at 300 mg/ml thus having an MIC of < 300 mg/ml. The extract had activity on two of the organisms studied and could be a source of novel compound for the control of infections caused by these organisms. The active components responsible for the antimicrobial activity should be determined, separated and studied.

Hypoglycaemic, Hypolipidaemic and Possible Toxicity of the Methanolic Fruit Pulp Extract of Hyphane thebaica (L) Mart in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats

Shehu, B.B., Gidado, A. and Buratai L.B.

Department of Biochemistry,

University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

E-mail: abbaganabenisheikhali@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The antidiabetic effect of methanolic extract of Hyphaene thebaica (L) mart was studied at sub-acute level. Three different doses (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight) of the extract were administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rats daily for 45 days. Weekly fasting blood glucose and body weight were monitored and at the end of the experimental period the rats were killed, blood collected and effect of the extract on lipid profile, indices of liver and kidney function assessed from the serum collected after processing  the blood. All the doses significantly (P<0.05) reduce the fasting blood glucose of the alloxan diabetic rats. The maximum percent reduction of 57.36% was observed within the group administered the 400mg/kg body weight extract. The effect was however not dose dependent, the extract also ameliorated the increases observed in the indices of liver and kidney function and also corrected imbalances observed in lipid profiles of diabetic control group. Hyphaene thebaica fruit has antidiabetic effect is further supported by the result of this study.