Students develop capsule to treat condition

THE senna extract capsule developed by Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) researchers to treat constipation, has won the top award for the student category at the Creation, Innovation, Technology and Research Exposition (Citrex) 2018.

The innovation was developed by a research team from the Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering comprising Dr Julius Gimbun, Dr Pang Sook Fun, Chong Sin Yee and Yeong Yi Ling.

Chong said the idea to conduct the research was mooted in 2013 to help improve the health of the public whose unbalanced diet could expose them to the risk of constipation and colorectal cancer.

“Senna leaves can be used to treat constipation because their active components such as rhein and kaempferol are high in antioxidants and act as laxatives to reduce the risk of getting cancer.

“In future we hope to expand the use of senna herbs not only in the form of capsules but also as creams, soaps and lotions,” she said when met at CITREX 2018 at the UMP Gambang campus.

For the win, the team took home a challenge trophy, RM500 cash and a certificate which were presented by UMP vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Daing Nasir Ibrahim.

Nearly 300 inventions and research products created by UMP researchers were displayed at the exposition, which was being held for the sixth year.

A research team from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering led by Dr Mohd Fairusham Ghazali won the staff category top award for their innovation on the Aldelos system.

The system is able to identify loss of water in the pipeline system at a much lower cost as compared to the current method used by the local authorities.

Meanwhile, Prof Daing Nasir said Citrex would be organised on a bigger scale in the next edition to include schools and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions such as polytechnics and community colleges. — Bernama