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Curcuminoids originating from turmeric roots are renowned for their diverse pharmacological applications, particularly as a natural anticancer agent. Unfortunately, harnessing the full potential of curcumin derivatives in cancer therapy has been impeded by its inherent limitations, specifically instabilities owing to poor solubility, leading to low systemic bioavailability under normal physiological circumstances. To circumvent this, a novel organic-based drug delivery system employing physically adsorbed β-cyclodextrin (βCD) as an excipient was developed in this study. This resulted in improved aqueous dispersion coupled with anticancer enhancements of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) at a molar ratio of 2:1. Encapsulation of this agent was confirmed by physicochemical characterisation using UV–vis spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Through the presence of an inclusion complex, a higher aqueous dispersion (65-fold) resulting in a higher drug content and an elevated release profile was achieved. Athymic nude (Nu/Nu) mice exposed to this treatment displayed improvements in tumour regression compared to stand-alone agents, consistent with in vitro cytotoxicity assays with an SI value > 10. The inclusion complex further enhanced apoptosis, as well as anti-migration and anti-invasion rates. Mechanistically, this formulation was consistent in terms of caspase 3 activation. Furthermore, the inclusion complex exhibited reduced systemic toxicity, including reduced inflammation in vital organs as examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. This study also revealed a notable sequential reduction in serum levels of tumour markers, including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and mouse Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2), correlating with a significant decrease in tumour bulk volume upon treatment commencement. These compelling findings highlight the potential of this formulation to empower insoluble or poorly soluble hydrophobic agents, thus offering promising prospects for their effective utilisation in colorectal cancer (CRC) chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malaysian hypertension prevalence is high at 30% and is the highest risk factor for mortality. Good hypertension knowledge suggests a favourable outcome. Online sources are a popular method of obtaining information especially in young adults and during the pandemic. Our objective is to determine health information seeking online, use of social media, and hypertension knowledge among undergraduate students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FHMS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Random sampling was done. An online questionnaire with four sections: (1) socio-demographic data; (2) use of social media; (3) health information sought online; and (4) hypertension knowledge was used. Data were analysed using the SPSS version 25 using Independent T tests and one-way ANOVA to identify factors associated with hypertension knowledge. Results: Mean (SD) age of 286 respondents was 21(1.2) years. Most respondents were female, 207(73.1%), Malays, 177(61.9%) and taking the Medicine course 127(44.4) with a mean of 9.50(4.50) hours of internet usage daily. Many respondents 196(68.5%) looked for information on hypertension online. The mean score for hypertension knowledge was 8.32(1.46); classified as good knowledge. Hypertension knowledge was significantly associated with race (p<0.001), type of course (p<0.001), year of study (p<0.001) and type of health information searched online (p=0.010). Conclusion: We found significant better knowledge in Indians compared to Malays, medical students compared to biomedical sciences and occupational health, students in year 5 compared to years 1&2. Participants that searched on hypertension online had better knowledge on hypertension. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences (2022) 18(14)1-9. doi:10.47836/mjmhs18.s14.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]