Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Carum Carvi Modulates Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity: Effects On Tnf-Α, Nf-Κb, And Caspases, Tahir Maqbool Mir, Muneeb U. Rehman, Mohammad Khalid Ashfaq, Wajhul Qamar

Faculty and Student Publications

Carum carvi is a well-known herb traditionally used as a spice in Asian countries. Acetaminophen is a known marketed drug mainly used as an analgesic. It has been scientifically proven that consumption of acetaminophen (paracetamol) is associated with liver toxicity if taken in high doses without medical supervision. The present study evaluated the in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective efficacy of Carum carvi against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Our results demonstrate that Carum carvi, at doses (mg/kg) of 100 (D1) and 200 (D2), showed inhibitory properties for DNA-sugar damage, lipid peroxidation, DPPH scavenging, and increased reducing potential in a concentration-dependent …

Development Of A Gc/Q-Tof-Ms Method Coupled With Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction To Evaluate The In Vitro Metabolism Of Β-Caryophyllene, Joseph Lee, Mei Wang, Goutam Mondal, Ikhlas A. Khan

Faculty and Student Publications

Sample preparation remains both a challenging and time-consuming process in the field of bioanalytical chemistry. Many traditional techniques often require multi-step processes, which can introduce additional errors to the analytical method. Given the complexity of many biological matrices, thorough analyte extraction presents a major challenge to researchers. In the present study, a headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with a GC/Q-ToF-MS method, was developed to quantify in vitro metabolism of β-caryophyllene by both human liver microsome (HLM) and S9 liver fractions. Validation of the method was demonstrated both in terms of linearity (R2 = 0.9948) and sensitivity with a limit of …

Comparative Genomics Of Streptococcus Oralis Identifies Large Scale Homologous Recombination And A Genetic Variant Associated With Infection, Luke R. Joyce, Madison A. Youngblom, Harshini Cormaty, Evelyn Gartstein

Faculty and Student Publications

The viridans group streptococci (VGS) are a large consortium of commensal streptococci that colonize the human body. Many species within this group are opportunistic pathogens causing bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE), yet little is known about why some strains cause invasive disease. Identification of virulence determinants is complicated by the difficulty of distinguishing between the closely related species of this group. Here, we analyzed genomic data from VGS that were isolated from blood cultures in patients with invasive infections and oral swabs of healthy volunteers and then determined the best-performing methods for species identification. Using whole-genome sequence data, we characterized …

Rosmarinic Acid Prevents Cisplatin-Induced Liver And Kidney Injury By Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses And Enhancing Total Antioxidant Capacity, Thereby Activating The Nrf2 Signaling Pathway, Yifei Xiang, Min Ji, Liqin Wu, Li Lv

Faculty and Student Publications

Drug-induced liver and kidney damage is an emergent clinical issue that should be addressed. Rosmarinic acid (RA) has obvious anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, so we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of RA pretreatment on serum and liver and kidney tissues of cisplatin (CP)-treated mice and explored the possible mechanisms. The results showed that RA pretreatment effectively downregulated the serum, liver, and kidney levels of ALT, AST, BUN, and CRE and the inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and simultaneously enhanced the total antioxidant capacity of the liver and kidney. RA pretreatment significantly reduced the levels of MPO, MDA, and …

Evaluation Methods For Vaccination Campaigns On College Campuses: A Scoping Review, Alexcia Carr, Eric Pittman, Hyllore Imeri, Saara Nasruddin, Wesley Sparkmon, Katherine J. Head, Sarah Vivo, Marie Barnard

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: Vaccinations are successful, cost-effective tools to prevent the spread of certain infectious diseases. Many colleges conduct vaccination campaigns on their campuses for various vaccinepreventable diseases, including measles, mumps, influenza, HPV, and most recently, for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Implementing these campaigns requires substantial effort and understanding their effectiveness is an important factor in justifying these programs.
Aim: This scoping review aims to identify, review, and summarize existing evaluation methods for vaccination campaigns on college campuses in order to provide evaluation guidance for institutions planning future vaccination campaigns.
Methods: Publications that focused on vaccination campaigns on college campuses …

Bioassay-Guided Isolation Of Iridoid Glucosides From Stenaria Nigricans, Their Biting Deterrence Against Aedes Aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), And Repellency Assessment Against Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Fazila Zulfiqar, Abbas Ali, Zulfiqar Ali, Ikhlas A. Khan

Faculty and Student Publications

In our natural product screening program, we screened natural products for their repellency and toxicity against insect vectors. Methanolic extract of aerial parts of Stenaria nigricans (Lam.), with no published chemistry, was tested for repellency against mosquitoes and imported hybrid fire ants. Methanolic extracts showed biting deterrence similar to DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) against Aedes aegypti L. Based on this activity, the crude extract was fractionated into chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol subfractions. The active methanolic subfraction was further fractionated into 13 subfractions. These fractions were tested for their biting deterrence against Ae. Aegypti. Active subfractions were further characterized to identify the …

Synthesis And Inhibitory Activity Of Machaeridiol-Based Novel Anti-Mrsa And Anti-Vre Compounds And Their Profiling For Cancer-Related Signaling Pathways, Mallika Kumarihamy, Siddharth Tripathi, Premalatha Balachandran, Bharathi Avula

Faculty and Student Publications

Three unique 5,6-seco-hexahydrodibenzopyrans (seco-HHDBP) machaeridiols A–C, reported previously from Machaerium Pers., have displayed potent activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, and E. faecalis (VRE). In order to enrich the pipeline of natural product-derived antimicrobial compounds, a series of novel machaeridiol-based analogs (1–17) were prepared by coupling stemofuran, pinosylvin, and resveratrol legends with monoterpene units R-(−)-α-phellandrene, (−)-p-mentha-2,8-diene-1-ol, and geraniol, and their inhibitory activities were profiled against MRSA ATCC 1708, VRE ATCC 700221, and cancer signaling pathways. Compounds 5 and 11 showed strong in vitro activities with MIC values of 2.5 μg/mL and 1.25 μg/mL against MRSA, respectively, and …

Hiv-1 Tat Upregulates The Receptor For Advanced Glycation End Products And Superoxide Dismutase-2 In The Heart Of Transgenic Mice, Alaa N. Qrareya, Nason S. Wise, Emmanuel R. Hodges, Fakhri Mahdi

Faculty and Student Publications

Cardiovascular disorder (CVD) is a common comorbidity in people living with HIV (PLWH). Although the underlying mechanisms are unknown, virotoxic HIV proteins, such as the trans-activator of transcription (Tat), likely contribute to CVD pathogenesis. Tat expression in mouse myocardium has been found to induce cardiac dysfunction and increase markers of endothelial toxicity. However, the role that Tat may play in the development of CVD pathogenesis is unclear. The capacity for Tat to impact cardiac function was assessed using AC16 human cardiomyocyte cells and adult male and female transgenic mice that conditionally expressed Tat [Tat(+)], or did not [Tat(−)]. In AC16 …

Immunomodulatory Effects Of Plant Extracts From Salvia Deserta Schang. And Salvia Sclarea L., Aizhan Zhussupova, Gaziza Zhumaliyeva, Vyacheslav Ogay, Assel Issabekova

Faculty and Student Publications

Medicines, their safety, effectiveness and quality are indispensable factors of national security, important on a global scale. The COVID-19 pandemic has once again emphasized the importance of improving the immune response of the body in the face of severe viral infections. Plants from the Salvia L. genus have long been used in traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory processes, parasitic diseases, bacterial and viral infections. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of plant extracts LS-1, LS-2 from Salvia deserta Schang. and LS-3, LS-4 from Salvia sclarea L. plants growing in southern Kazakhstan by conventional …

Phytochemical Investigation Of Egyptian Spinach Leaves, A Potential Source For Antileukemic Metabolites: In Vitro And In Silico Study, Shimaa M. Abdelgawad, Mona H. Hetta, Mohamed A. Ibrahim, Premalatha Balachandran

Faculty and Student Publications

Spinacia oleracea L., Amaranthaceae, leaves cultivated in Egypt demonstrated a potential antileukemic activity against the chronic myeloid leukemia, K562 cell line. Thus, the aim of this study is to carry out a phytochemical investigation of S. oleracea leaves as well as the isolation of its antileukemic phytoconstituents. Phytochemical investigation of S. oleracea leaves resulted in the isolation of seventeen known compounds. The biological study revealed that compounds hexaprenol, phytol, and 18-[(1-oxohexadecyl) oxy]-9-octadecenoic acid exhibited a remarkable antiproliferative activity against K562 cells in vitro. A mechanistic in silico study showed that hexaprenol, phytol, and 18-[(1-oxohexadecyl) oxy]-9-octadecenoic acid exhibited a strong binding …

Interactions Of Marine Sulfated Glycans With Antithrombin And Platelet Factor 4, Wenjing Zhang, Weihua Jin, Vitor H. Pomin, Fuming Zhang

Faculty and Student Publications

The molecular interactions of sulfated glycans, such as heparin, with antithrombin (AT) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) are essential for certain biological events such as anticoagulation and heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). In this study, a library including 84 sulfated glycans (polymers and oligomers) extracted from marine algae along with several animal-originated polysaccharides were subjected to a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study regarding their specific molecular interactions with AT and PF4 using surface plasmon resonance. In this SAR study, multiple characteristics were considered including different algal species, different methods of extraction, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, sulfate content and pattern and branching vs. …

Inhibition Of Sars-Cov-2 Wild-Type (Wuhan-Hu-1) And Delta (B.1.617.2) Strains By Marine Sulfated Glycans, Rohini Dwivedi, Poonam Sharma, Marwa Farrag, Seon Beom Kim

Faculty and Student Publications

The Coronavirus disease pandemic has steered the global therapeutic research efforts toward the discovery of potential anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) molecules. The role of the viral spike glycoprotein (S-protein) has been clearly established in SARS-CoV-2 infection through its capacity to bind to the host cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2. The antiviral strategies targeting these 2 virus receptors are currently under intense investigation. However, the rapid evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 genome has resulted in numerous mutations in the S-protein posing a significant challenge for the design of S-protein-targeted inhibitors. As an example, the 2 key …

Preparation, Characterization And Pharmacokinetics Of Tolfenamic Acid-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Wei Xu, Zhaoyou Deng, Yifei Xiang, Dujuan Zhu

Faculty and Student Publications

The clinical use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is limited by their poor water solubility, unstable absorption, and low bioavailability. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) exhibit high biocompatibility and the ability to improve the bioavailability of drugs with low water solubility. Therefore, in this study, a tolfenamic acid solid lipid nanoparticle (TA-SLN) suspension was prepared by a hot melt–emulsification ultrasonication method to improve the sustained release and bioavailability of TA. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential of the TA-SLN suspension were 82.50 ± 0.63%, 25.13 ± 0.28%, 492 ± 6.51 nm, 0.309 ± …

Vis/Nir Spectra And Color Parameters According To Leaf Age Of Some Eucalyptus Species: Influence On Their Classification And Discrimination, Izabel P. Migacz, Jane Manfron, Paulo V. Farago, Vijayasankar Raman

Faculty and Student Publications

Aim of study: The aim of this study was to verify the differences in VIS/NIR spectra and leaf color parameters of leaves of Eucalyptus badjensis, E. benthamii, E. dunnii, E. grandis, E. globulus and E. saligna, at four ages, and their influence on species discrimination. Area of study: São Mateus do Sul, Paraná, Brazil. Materials and methods: Seedlings of the six species, with four replicates for each, were acclimatized in the same environment, in Oc-tober 2015, in an entirely randomized design. Leaf samples were collected from plants that were 6, 8, 10 and 12 months old. Three leaves from each …

Analysis Of Select Dietary Supplement Products Marketed To Support Or Boost The Immune System, Cindy Crawford, Bharathi Avula, Andrea T. Lindsey, Abraham Walter

Faculty and Student Publications

Importance: Cold, flu, and immunity dietary supplement product sales have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting or boosting the immune system has become an important reason for using dietary supplements, and many consumers are purchasing products through online platforms. Objectives: To examine whether select dietary supplement products advertised as supporting or boosting the immune system are accurately labeled according to the Supplement Facts label of listed ingredients and to qualitatively describe the product labels' characteristics in terms of claims made. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this case series, 30 featured immune health dietary supplements were selected and …

Computational Tools To Expedite The Identification Of Potential Pxr Modulators In Complex Natural Product Mixtures: A Case Study With Five Closely Related Licorice Species, Manal Alhusban, Pankaj Pandey, Jongmin Ahn, Bharathi Avula

Faculty and Student Publications

The genus Glycyrrhiza, comprising approximately 36 spp., possesses complex structural diversity and is documented to possess a wide spectrum of biological activities. Understanding and finding the mechanisms of efficacy or safety for a plant-based therapy is very challenging, yet it is crucial and necessary to understand the polypharmacology of traditional medicines. Licorice extract was shown to modulate the xenobiotic receptors, which might manifest as a potential route for natural product-induced drug interactions. However, different mechanisms could be involved in this phenomenon. Since the induced herb-drug interaction of licorice supplements via Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is understudied, we ventured out to …

Indoloquinoline-Mediated Targeted Downregulation Of Kras Through Selective Stabilization Of The Mid-Promoter G-Quadruplex Structure, Alexandra Maria Psaras, Rhianna K. Carty, Jared T. Miller, L. Nathan Tumey

Faculty and Student Publications

KRAS is a well-validated anti-cancer therapeutic target, whose transcriptional downregulation has been demonstrated to be lethal to tumor cells with aberrant KRAS signaling. G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical nucleic acid structures that mediate central dogmatic events, such as DNA repair, telomere elongation, transcription and splicing events. G4s are attractive drug targets, as they are more globular than B-DNA, enabling more selective gene interactions. Moreover, their genomic prevalence is increased in oncogenic promoters, their formation is increased in human cancers, and they can be modulated with small molecules or targeted nucleic acids. The putative formation of multiple G4s has been described in …

Traditional Use, Phytochemical Profiles And Pharmacological Properties Of Artemisia Genus From Central Asia, Aliya Nurlybekova, Aidana Kudaibergen, Aizhan Kazymbetova, Magzhan Amangeldi

Faculty and Student Publications

The flora of Kazakhstan is characterized by its wide variety of different types of medicinal plants, many of which can be used on an industrial scale. The Traditional Kazakh Medicine (TKM) was developed during centuries based on the six elements of ancient Kazakh theory, associating different fields such as pharmacology, anatomy, pathology, immunology and food nursing as well as disease prevention. The endemic Artemisia L. species are potential sources of unique and new natural products and new chemical structures, displaying diverse bioactivities and leading to the development of safe and effective phytomedicines against prevailing diseases in Kazakhstan and the Central …

Polymer Coated Polymeric (Pcp) Microneedles For Sampling Of Drugs And Biomarkers From Tissues, Deeksha Jakka, A. V. Matadh, H. N. Shivakumar, Howard Maibach

Faculty and Student Publications

The Polymer Coated Polymeric (PCP) microneedles were fabricated using PVP K30 in the core and ethyl cellulose in the coating. The PCP microneedles do not disintegrate in the tissue upon insertion and rather stays intact and allows diffusion of drugs and analytes across the membrane both inward and outward. In this project the potential use of PCP microneedles for sampling analytes from the dermal tissue was explored. The amount of analyte sampled depended on the concentration in the tissue, physicochemical properties of the analyte and duration of insertion of the array in the tissue. Further, an advanced type of PCP …

Comparative Single Dose Pharmacokinetics And Metabolism Of Racemic Primaquine And Its Enantiomers In Human Volunteers, Washim Khan, Yan Hong Wang, Narayan D. Chaurasiya, Np Dhammika Nanayakkara

Faculty and Student Publications

Primaquine (PQ) is a racemic drug used in treatment of malaria for six decades. Recent studies suggest that the two enantiomers of PQ are differentially metabolized in animals, and this results in different pharmacological and toxicological profiles. The current study characterizes the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, metabolism and tolerability of the individual enantiomers of PQ in healthy human volunteers with normal glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. Two cohorts (at two dose levels), each with 18 subjects, participated in three study arms in a crossover fashion: a single dose of the (−)-R enantiomer (RPQ), a single dose of the (+)-S enantiomer (SPQ), and …

Chemical Authentication And Speciation Of Salvia Botanicals: An Investigation Utilizing Gc/Q-Tof And Chemometrics, Joseph Lee, Mei Wang, Jianping Zhao, Bharathi Avula

Faculty and Student Publications

Members of the genus Salvia are used as culinary herbs and are prized for their purported medicinal attributes. Since physiological effects can vary widely between species of Salvia, it is of great importance to accurately identify botanical material to ensure safety for consumers. In the present study, an in-depth chemical investigation is performed utilizing GC/Q-ToF combined with chemometrics. Twenty-four authentic plant samples representing five commonly used Salvia species, viz. S. apiana, S. divinorum, S. mellifera, S. miltiorrhiza, and S. officinalis, are analyzed using a GC/Q-ToF technique. High-resolution spectral data are employed to construct a sample class prediction (SCP) model followed …

Synergistic Antibacterial Activity With Conventional Antibiotics And Mechanism Of Action Of Shikonin Against Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Qian Qian Li, Hee Sung Chae, Ok Hwa Kang, Dong Yeul Kwon

Faculty and Student Publications

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a troublesome pathogen that poses a global threat to public health. Shikonin (SKN) isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon (L. erythro-rhizon) possesses a variety of biological activities. This study aims to explore the effect of the combined application of SKN and traditional antibiotics on the vitality of MRSA and the inherent anti-bacterial mechanism of SKN. The synergies between SKN and antibiotics against MRSA and its clinical strain have been demonstrated by the checkerboard assay and the time‐kill assay. The effect of SKN on disrupting the integrity and permeability of bacterial cell membranes was verified by a nucleotide …

Chemical Fingerprinting Profile And Targeted Quantitative Analysis Of Phenolic Compounds From Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus Linearis) And Dietary Supplements Using Uhplc‐Pda‐Ms, Omer I. Fantoukh, Yan Hong Wang, Abidah Parveen, Mohammed F. Hawwal

Faculty and Student Publications

Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) R. Dahlgren, commonly known as rooibos tea, was consumed traditionally by the indigenous South African inhabitants as an herbal remedy. Beside antioxidant properties, it displays antiallergic, antispasmodic, and hypoglycemic activities. An ultra‐high-performance liquid chromatography method coupled with photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors were developed for the determination of 14 phenolic constituents from leaves and stems of A. linearis. The efficient separation was performed within 30 min at a temperature of 30 °C by using C‐18 column as the stationary phase and water/acetonitrile with 0.05% formic acid as the mobile phase. Method validation for linearity, repeatability, limits …

Design Of Topical Moxifloxacin Mucoadhesive Nanoemulsion For The Management Of Ocular Bacterial Infections, Ahmed Adel Ali Youssef, Ruchi Thakkar, Samir Senapati, Poorva H. Joshi

Faculty and Student Publications

Ocular bacterial infections can lead to serious visual disability without proper treatment. Moxifloxacin (MOX) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a monotherapy for ocular bacterial infections and is available commercially as an ophthalmic solution (0.5% w/v). However, precorneal retention, drainage, and low bioavailability remain the foremost challenges associated with current commercial eyedrops. With this study, we aimed to design a MOX-loaded nanoemulsion (NE; MOX-NE) with mucoadhesive agents (MOX-NEM) to sustain MOX release, as well as to overcome the potential drawbacks of the current commercial ophthalmic formulation. MOX-NE and MOX-NEM formulations were prepared by hot homogenization …

The International Cannabis Toolkit (Icanntoolkit): A Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus On Minimum Standards For Measuring Cannabis Use, Valentina Lorenzetti, Chandni Hindocha, Kat Petrilli, Paul Griffiths

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: The lack of an agreed international minimum approach to measuring cannabis use hinders the integration of multidisciplinary evidence on the psychosocial, neurocognitive, clinical and public health consequences of cannabis use. Methods: A group of 25 international expert cannabis researchers convened to discuss a multidisciplinary framework for minimum standards to measure cannabis use globally in diverse settings. Results: The expert-based consensus agreed upon a three-layered hierarchical framework. Each layer—universal measures, detailed self-report and biological measures—reflected different research priorities and minimum standards, costs and ease of implementation. Additional work is needed to develop valid and precise assessments. Conclusions: Consistent use of …

Isolation Of Sphingolipids From Sphingomonas Echinoides B-3126 And Their Characterization By Ms/Ms Analysis, Edgar David Uribe Sanchez

Honors Theses

EDGAR DAVID URIBE SANCHEZ: Isolation of Sphingolipids from Sphingomonas echinoides B-3126 and their Characterization by MS/MS Analysis

Sphingolipids are important components in human cellular lipid membranes and are differentiated by the incorporation of serine with an amide bond between the amino acid and a lipid tail. Sphingolipids produced by bacteria differ in both headgroups attached to the serine alcohol and the architecture of the lipid backbone. While the synthesis of sphingolipids in mammalian cells is well studied, only a handful of steps in the pathway are described in bacteria.¹ The observations that although sphingolipid synthesis is rare in bacteria, …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ionic Liquids Using Nitrogen-Based Cations For Transdermal Delivery, Jo Galloway

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the synthesis mechanisms of water-soluble ionic liquids with nitrogen-containing cationic bases for future use in transdermal drug delivery and forensic science applications. Ionic liquids are salts with an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion. They have asymmetric structures, which means that the molecules don’t pack together as neatly as other salts do, therefore, they don’t crystallize as easily, and their melting points are lower. Ionic liquids have melting points below 100°C, and many are liquid at room temperature. Mechanistic studies reveal that the potency of ILs in enhancing transdermal …

Mississippi Pharmacists’ Perceptions Of Dietary Supplements, Emory Booth

Honors Theses

Dietary supplements are often a controversial topic among healthcare professionals. Many view supplements positively and appreciate the health benefits they can provide. Others are wary of the decreased regulation dietary supplements are subject to and believe that the benefits of supplements do not outweigh the risks. Dietary supplements are of particular interest to pharmacists, as they are often sold at their place of work, and pharmacists have to consolidate their patients’ supplement use with their medication use. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the viewpoints of Mississippi pharmacists in relation to dietary supplements. A survey was sent to …

Sources Of Patient Information For Type 2 Diabetes Self-Care In Northern Mississippi, Minh-Sang La

Honors Theses

Given the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the United States and the continuous rise of cases, especially within Mississippi, there is an increasing need to identify if, and how, patients with Type 2 Diabetes receive information about self-care. While there is data available on the topic of where patients receive their information and the influence it has on their health in other countries of the world, the research on the source of Type 2 Diabetes education in the United States is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the gap of understanding where patients with Type 2 Diabetes …

Content Analysis Of Vitiligo Portrayal On Social Media, Mary Miller

Honors Theses

Given that vitiligo affects a small percentage of the world population, and its affects are not widely known, there is an increasing need to learn of its effects on those with vitiligo, both physical and psychological. Social media has become an influential platform to spread awareness and build confidence in those with vitiligo. This study aims to find how vitiligo is portrayed through social media using content analysis procedures. This is a cross-sectional content analysis that utilized a codebook to analyze Instagram posts. The results were analyzed by interrater reliability and frequency for each coder. The findings of this content …