GC-MS and ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometric Analysis for Detection and Quantification of White Turmeric (Curcuma zedoaria) Essential Oils Adulteration.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> White turmeric essential oil (WTEO) is known to have high commercial value since it has been used to improve immunological function, increase blood circulation, ease toxin clearance and stimulate digestion. However, there is no standard to regulate the specific characteristics of white turmeric essential oil. Therefore, the objective of this research was to develop an analytical technique for WTEO authentication from vegetable oils, namely palm oil (PO), coconut oil (VCO) and soybean oil (SO), using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics, as well as GC-MS spectroscopy. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> The WTEO was obtained by hydrodistillation method. Pure WTEO and vegetable oils were scanned in the MIR region (4000-650 cm¹) of FTIR spectroscopy and the spectra were further analyzed using chemometrics. <b>Results:</b> The extraction yielded 0.103% v/w WTEO, a dark purple color with a specific pungent odor. Discriminant analysis separated pure WTEO and adulterated WTEO with 100% accuracy at wave numbers 4000-650 cm¹. The best PLS regressions to quantify SO, VCO, PO and concentration in WTEO were at wave numbers 4000-1100, 1400-1050 and 2100-650 cm¹, respectively. <b>Conclusion:</b> The FTIR and chemometrics combination effectively authenticates white turmeric essential oil from any possible adulterants, such as vegetable oil.

Children's Perception and Belief about Medicines: Effectiveness and Its Autonomy.

BACKGROUND: The use of medicines in children is usually always under the supervision of parents. Children are considered not to understand the concept of medicine properly. Children's perceptions of medicine are mostly formed from everyday experience. This can have an impact on children's beliefs about medicines which they are also required to be active and rational medicine users. AIM: This study aims to look at children's perceptions and beliefs about medicines, especially in the perspective of medicine efficacy and children's autonomy in using them. METHOD: The study was conducted with an analytical method with a cross-sectional approach using a questionnaire instrument in grade V elementary school children in Padang City, Indonesia. The total sample size obtained was 503 students. RESULTS: Children still think that medicine efficacy is influenced by taste, colour, size, medicine price, a place to buy medicine and how to get medication. 10.1% of children have stored the medicine at home, and 48.5% of children always depends on waited for their parents when they wanted to take medicine. Regarding children's access to medicines, 11.5% of children have bought their own over-the-counter medicine to a pharmacy or medicine store without the parents' knowledge. 31.4% of children have taken medicine at home without the parents' knowledge. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that children's perceptions of medicine efficacy are still very limited. Even though the child has used the medicine alone in a limited way, the child's autonomy in using the medicine still needs to be monitored by the parent. Therefore, this is the reason for the need for medical education given to children, especially in schools as an integral part of health education.

The Knowledge and Attitudes about the Benefits, Risks and Use of Medicine in Aged Primary Students in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Medication always has a ratio of benefits and risks to become a safety measure. Therefore, its use must be careful, especially for children, because it can potentially occur drug incidents in children. As drug users, children are required to be active in using it, but children's knowledge and attitudes about benefits, risks (dangers) and use of medicine are still very shallow and fragmented. AIM: This study aims to look at the description of children's knowledge and attitudes about medicine from the perspective of the benefits, risks or dangers and use of medicine and the factors that influence them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted by the analytic method with a cross-sectional approach using a questionnaire instrument in grade V elementary school-age children in Padang City, Indonesia. The total sample size obtained was 503 students. RESULTS: The results showed that children's knowledge of medicine was generally categorised as low, with an average score of 4.70 (SD 1.82) from a scale of 9. Knowledge of drug use was much lower, namely the average score of 1.21 (0.74), followed by knowledge of drug hazards an average score of 1.69 (1.03) and drug benefits an average score of 1.80 (0.69). Age variables, address of residence, family income, the existence of families working as health workers and sources of drug information significantly influence students knowledge (P < 0.05). Whereas students attitudes towards medicine tend to be more positive with an average score of 7.18 (1.77), where the average score of attitudes towards benefits, risks (hazards) and drug use are 1.79 (0.46), respectively, 1.10 (0.58) and 4.29 (1.37). Address of residence, companion during illness, achievement in school and experience in hospital care have a significant effect on student attitudes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study concluded that indicate that students knowledge of benefits, risks and use of medicine is still low and very limited. While related to student attitudes, in general, it tends to be more positive, except about the dangers of medicine that show a negative attitude. The low level of knowledge and limited attitudes of children are the reason for the need for drug education given to children, especially in schools as an integral part of health education.

Cocrystal of Ibuprofen⁻Nicotinamide: Solid-State Characterization and In Vivo Analgesic Activity Evaluation.

Ibuprofen is classified as a BCS class II drug which has low solubility and high permeability. We conducted the formation of the cocrystalline phase of ibuprofen with coformer nicotinamide to increase its solubility. The purpose of this study was to characterize the solid state of cocrystalline phase of ibuprofen-nicotinamide, determine the solubility, and evaluate its in vivo analgesic activity. The cocrystal of ibuprofen-nicotinamide was prepared by a slow evaporation method. The solid-state characterization was conducted by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To investigate the in vivo analgesic activity, 28 male Swiss-Webster mice were injected with acetic acid 0.5% following oral administration of intact ibuprofen, physical mixture, and its cocrystalline phase with nicotinamide (equivalent to 26 mg/kg ibuprofen). The number of writhes was counted, and pain inhibition was calculated. All data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test (95% confidence interval). The results revealed that a new cocrystalline phase was successfully formed. The solubility testing showed that the cocrystal formation enhanced the solubility significantly as compared with the physical mixture and intact ibuprofen. A significant increase in the analgesic activity of cocrystal ibuprofen-nicotinamide was also confirmed.