Neuroscience & Medicine, 2018, 9, 63-80
http://www.scirp.org/journal/nm
ISSN Online: 2158-2947
ISSN Print: 2158-2912
DOI: 10.4236/nm.2018.92008 Jun. 15, 2018 63 Neuroscience & Medicine
Toxicity Profile of Karuho Poison on the Brain
of Wistar Albino Rats
Samuel Kule Kyolo
1
, Godfrey S. Bbosa
1*
, John Odda
1
, Aloysius M. Lubega
1
,
Ntabe Namegabe Edmond
2
1
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
2
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (ULPGL), Goma City, DR Congo
Abstract
Various forms of Karuho poisoning are a common traditional mystery and a
public health challenge in Goma city, North Kivu in DRC practiced by un-
scrupulous people. Its signs and symptoms are commonly mistaken by local
communities and medical world with those of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and
typhoid fever; with neurological and psychological symptoms. Study investi-
gated sub-acute toxicity of Karuho poison on brain of Wistar albino rats. La-
boratory based experimental study was conducted at Department of Pharma-
cology & Therapeutics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences. A to-
tal of 4 Karuho poisons (OMGKRP, DLNKRP, CHKRP and BHKRP) were
screened for acute and sub-acute toxicity. Fifty animals, 10 in each group were
daily dosed for 28 days with 1 mg, 5 mg, 20 mg and 5000 mg/kg bwt of
OMGKRP (most active following screening) and normal saline for control
group using OECD 407 and NIH 2011 guidelines. Behavioral changes were
noted. Histopathological changes in brain regions were analyzed. Treated rats
by OMGKRP, most active Karuho poison, were associated with sign of de-
pression, piloerection and shortness of breath. Histopathological changes re-
vealed moderate diffuse congestion and mononuclear inflammatory cells in-
filtration (plasma cells, lymphocytes and macrophage) in cerebral region with
severe inflammation observed in meninges of cerebellum. OMGKRP poison
induced inflammation of meninges of cerebellar region of brain.
Keywords
Karuho Poison, OMGKRP, Brain Tissue and Sub-Acute Toxicity
1. Introduction
Karuho poisoning is a common public health problem in Goma city in Eastern
How to cite this paper: Kyolo, S.K., Bbosa,
G.S., Odda, J., Lubega, A.M. and Edmond,
N.N. (2018) Toxicity Profile of Karuho
Poison on the Brain of Wistar Albino Rats.
Neuroscience & Medicine, 9, 63-80.
https://doi.org/10.4236/nm.2018.92008
Received: March 3, 2018
Accepted: June 12, 2018
Published: June 15, 2018
Copyright © 2018 by authors and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access