Into the Magic Mirror: The Narratives that Reflect Our Lives and Dictate How We Should Live

This thesis investigates the influence fairytales have on society, how they dichotomously reflect cultural worldviews yet set standards for appropriate behavior and prescribe hegemonic ideologies. It specifically explores the fairytales told in America over the last couple of centuries, examining how those stories have evolved in correlation with the shifting values of the country. Each chapter lays a foundation for how certain characters are normally portrayed in fairytale tradition - the hero, the beauty, and the villain - and then evaluates how our culture has Americanized those figures, consequently making each of them less idealistic or archetypal and evolution of fairytale storytelling from oral tradition to literary narrative to film, observing the influence of each medium on the tales and the shifting relationship between naiTator and audience and concluding that fairytales should not be dismissed as vapid children’s literature but understood to be the voice of society that reveals what that society is and what it wants to be

EFFECT OF THE WATER EXTRACT OF THE FOUR O'CLOCK HERB (MIRABILIS JALAPA L.) ON THE HEALING OF OPEN WOUNDS IN RATS

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect on wound healing following treatment with a water extract of Mirabilis jalapa L. by investigatingwound contraction and the associated histopathological changes in rat skin.Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups, namely negative control, positive control (povidone-iodine), dose 1, dose 2, anddose 3. A 20-×10-mm rectangular wound area was created for the test. In dose 1, 2, and 3 groups, the corresponding dose variation of a 0.5-mLM. jalapa L. water extract (dose 1: 5% v/v, ≈243.1 mg/kg body weight BW; dose 2: 10% v/v, ≈486.2 mg/kg BW; and dose 3: 20% v/v, ≈972.4 mg/kg BW)was topically applied for 14 days on open wounds of rats. Widespread wound contractions were measured on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13, andhistopathological changes in the skin were observed on day 15 using hematoxylin and eosin staining.Results: The M. jalapa L. water extract accelerated wound healing. The optimal dose was found to be 20% v/v (≈972.4 mg/kg BW).Conclusion: M. jalapa L. extracts are potential healing agents for open wounds

THE EFFECT OF SECANG EXTRACT (CAESALPINIA SAPPAN LINN) ON THE WEIGHT AND HISTOLOGY APPEARANCE OF WHITE MALE RATS' HEARTS INDUCED BY ISOPROTERENOL

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the cardioprotective effect of secang extract on the heart cells of rats who suffered from myocardialinfarction induced by isoproterenol.Materials and Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups: Normal control, negative control, control extract (200 mg/kg), and threedifferent dose extract groups (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight) that were given treatment for 30 days, and then, induced with isoproterenol.Observations were made for changes in the macroscopic appearance, cardiac weight, and histology of the cardiac organ.Results: The results showed a decrease in the incidence of myocardial infarction in rats given secang extract. The infarction area decreased withincreasing doses of extract. The weight of the heart in the control extract group was smaller than in the negative control group.Conclusions: Damage to heart cells, seen in the microscope, decreased with increasing doses

ANTITHROMBOTIC ACTIVITY OF TAMARINDUS INDICA L. IN MICE

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antithrombotic activity of Tamarindus indica L. extract (TIE) in mouse models (in vivo).Methods: TIE was orally administered to mice at three different doses for 7 days. TIE-treated mice were used in two experiments of antithromboticactivity: An examination of bleeding time following tail cutting and an examination of survival rate after collagen-epinephrine-inducedthromboembolism. The TIE groups were observed after 7 days of treatment and compared to an aspirin-treated group and a control group.Results: Treatment with TIE led to a significant increase in bleeding time compared with that in the control group. TIE treatment also protected micefrom thromboembolic death, significantly increasing survival rates in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion: TIE has the potential as an antithrombotic agent against platelet thromboembolism

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF HPLC-UV METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS ANALYSIS OF ACRYLAMIDE AND GLYCIDAMIDE IN VOLUMETRIC ABSORPTIVE MICROSAMPLING

Objective: Acrylamide is a carcinogenic compound that can be found in commonly consumed foods and cigarette smoke. This compound is metabolized by cytochrome P450 in the human body to a more reactive metabolite, glycidamide. This study aimed to optimize and validate a sensitive HPLC-UV method for determining acrylamide and glycidamide simultaneously in the volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) sample. Methods: Isoniazid as an internal standard was added to the VAMS sample containing acrylamide and glycidamide prior to protein precipitation. The analytes and internal standard were separated using reversed-phase chromatography with the C18 SunfireTMWaters® column (5 µm; 250 mm x 4.6 mm) and an ultraviolet detector. Results: The optimum chromatographic condition was eluted at a column temperature of 30 °C with a mobile phase of 6 mmol potassium dihydrogen phosphate pH 3.5–methanol (96:4 v/v) using a flow rate of 0.50 ml/min and was detected at 210 nm. The LLOQ was obtained at 1.0 µg/ml for both acrylamide and glycidamide. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range of 1.0-100.0 µg/ml. Conclusion: The developed bioanalytical method was valid based on US FDA Guideline for Bioanalytical Method Validation 2018

USING HAIR GROWTH ACTIVITY, PHYSICAL STABILITY, AND SAFETY TESTS TO STUDY HAIR TONICS CONTAINING ETHANOL EXTRACT OF LICORICE (GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA LINN.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety, physical stability, and hair growth activity of ethanol extract of licorice.Methods: In this study, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% licorice extract was formulated into a hair tonic as a tonic is easier to use and is not sticky like a semisoliddosage. The hair growth activity test was conducted by rubbing the hair tonic preparations on rabbit's backs; subsequently, the hair length, hairthickness, hair weight, and hair density were measured. Quantitative analysis of glycyrrhizic acid from the licorice ethanol extract with a ultravioletspectrophotometer showed a level of about 156.65 mg/g or 15.665%. The physical stability test was performed on samples of the tonic stored at low(4±2°C), room (25±2°C), and high (40±2°C) temperature, and a cycling test was also performed. The safety test was performed using an eye irritationtest that employed the Hen's egg test–chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) method and a skin irritation test that employed the patch test method.Results: The hair tonics containing 5% and 10% licorice extract had an equivalent activity of hair growth and even better than the positive controlcontaining 2% minoxidil. The physical stability test showed that the licorice extract hair tonic has good physical stability. The results of the safety testshowed no skin irritation, whereas the HET-CAM test showed that the hair tonic containing licorice extract showed mild eye irritation.Conclusions: Licorice ethanol extract hair tonic solutions in concentrations of 2.5%, 5%, and 10% had hair growth activity similar to that of thepositive control (minoxidil). They have a good physical and chemical stability, also safe for topical use, except the 2.5% licorice ethanol extract hairtonic solution which caused mild eye irritation

Dexamethasone and 5% NaCl Solution Induce Hypertension in Sparangue dawly Male Rats

High blood pressure can be caused by excess salt intake Dexamethasone is a potent anti-inflammatory drug, but the long-term administration can cause hypertension. This study aims to determine the accurate time and dose that cause hypertension in rat models by administration of a combination of dexamethasone and 5% NaCl solution. The control group was administrated with aquadest orally, 3 test groups were administrated with dexamethasone at a doses of 0.02mg/kg BW, 0.03mg/kg BW, and 0.5mg/kg BW intraperitonially (i.p) for 28 days. A 5% NaCl solution were administrated instead of drinking water to the test group. Blood pressure and body weight were measured weekly for 28 days. Results of the study show that Dexamethasone at a dose of 0.02mg/kg BW caused hypertension on day-28 where the rats blood pressure increase to 148mmHg/103mmHg (±1.9/±3.1) (P0.05) compared to control rats and the weight decline by 90 grams. Dexamethasone 0.03mg/kg BW caused hypertension on day-21, with the increase of rats blood pressure at144mmHg/101mmHg (±2,6/±3.2) (P0.05) compared to control and the weight decrease by 83 grams.  Dexamethasone 0.5mg/kg BW caused hypertension on day-7, the rats blood pressure rise to 146mmHg/103mmHg (±1.6/1.9) (P0.05) compared to control and the weight decrease by 69 grams. As conclusion, Dexamethasone at dose of 0.5mg/kg BW and NaCl 5% cause hypertension faster on day 14 compared to dexamethasone at dose of 0.02mg/kg BW and NaCl 5% which cause hypertension slower after 28 days of administration

Mycolactone-dependent depletion of endothelial cell thrombomodulin is strongly associated with fibrin deposition in Buruli ulcer lesions

A well-known histopathological feature of diseased skin in Buruli ulcer (BU) is coagulative necrosis caused by the Mycobacterium ulcerans macrolide exotoxin mycolactone. Since the underlying mechanism is not known, we have investigated the effect of mycolactone on endothelial cells, focussing on the expression of surface anticoagulant molecules involved in the protein C anticoagulant pathway. Congenital deficiencies in this natural anticoagulant pathway are known to induce thrombotic complications such as purpura fulimans and spontaneous necrosis. Mycolactone profoundly decreased thrombomodulin (TM) expression on the surface of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMVEC) at doses as low as 2ng/ml and as early as 8hrs after exposure. TM activates protein C by altering thrombin's substrate specificity, and exposure of HDMVEC to mycolactone for 24 hours resulted in an almost complete loss of the cells' ability to produce activated protein C. Loss of TM was shown to be due to a previously described mechanism involving mycolactone-dependent blockade of Sec61 translocation that results in proteasome-dependent degradation of newly synthesised ER-transiting proteins. Indeed, depletion from cells determined by live-cell imaging of cells stably expressing a recombinant TM-GFP fusion protein occurred at the known turnover rate. In order to determine the relevance of these findings to BU disease, immunohistochemistry of punch biopsies from 40 BU lesions (31 ulcers, nine plaques) was performed. TM abundance was profoundly reduced in the subcutis of 78% of biopsies. Furthermore, it was confirmed that fibrin deposition is a common feature of BU lesions, particularly in the necrotic areas. These findings indicate that there is decreased ability to control thrombin generation in BU skin. Mycolactone's effects on normal endothelial cell function, including its ability to activate the protein C anticoagulant pathway are strongly associated with this. Fibrin-driven tisischemia could contribute to the development of the tissue necrosis seen in BU lesions

Current Update of Clinical Therapeutic Strategies for Colon-Targeted Delivery Systems

Oral colon-targeted drug delivery systems represent a significant advancement offering both systemic and local therapeutic effects for a range of intestinal diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, colonic bacterial infections, and colorectal cancer. These systems facilitate the delivery of both small molecules and macromolecular compounds such as peptides, proteins, antibodies, oligonucleotides, RNA, and probiotics. This review provides an up-to-date exploration of the critical factors crucial for the effective design and development of drug delivery systems targeting the colon. The chosen strategy takes into account various aspects of colon physiology that influences the profile of drug release, absorption, dissolution, and stability in the colon, including pH, retention time, presence of enzymes, pressure, presence of reactive oxygen species due to inflammation, and specific receptors. Site-targeted drug release allows for high concentrations in the colon while minimizing systemic adverse effects by reducing or preventing drug absorption in the small intestine