subject: Making a drug from Shrimp Waste, Chitosan, health, blood, fat [print this page] Making a drug from Shrimp Waste, Chitosan, health, blood, fat
Shrimp waste is one of the substantial amount of waste in Indonesia. Each coastal area for shrimp harvest is consumed as food can produce thousands of tons of waste. Waste is often thrown away or, if they are exported with very cheap price. In fact, the liquid waste discharged into coastal waters can harm the environment.
"Shrimp waste if discarded would be detrimental. Waste will enhance the biological oxygen demand in water due to the breakdown in aquatic organisms can be deprived of oxygen at the time. Also, if there is a decomposition of waste in large scale, it will affect the climate on a global scale, "said the student of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Surabaya.
Of concern, he went looking for references in international journals about the contents of shrimp waste that can be used and useful. From his search, he discovered that the shrimp waste containing compound called chitin, a complex carbohydrate compound found in the foreign shrimp. The compound is further processed in a certain way into a compound called chitosan, will be used to treat hyperlipidemia, a disorder of blood fat that can lead to deadly diseases such as coronary heart disease.
In addition, it also found that the shrimp waste was also used in foreign countries. "Waste of shrimp are exported to foreign countries was processed into new products after the products are exported to Indonesia and sold with high prices," said Claudia. It was very painful for the people of Indonesia should have been able to process them.
With the knowledge she had, he tried the shrimp processing waste into hyperlipidemic drugs or excess fat (cholesterol and triglycerides) in blood. She did a series of cleaning processes in the laboratory to drying to obtain chitosan compounds that can be used. To do so, she is assisted by several friends and the laboratory.
To conduct the study was apparently not an easy thing. "Pharmaceutical research is not to cost a bit. I should be working on this by selling it to obtain funding. Fortunately, the funding ultimately borne by the campuses," said Claudia.
After earlier attempts to produce chitosan compounds, laboratory test to examine the effectiveness of chitosan was performed. It is preparing 30 white rats as test object. Rats have made available a high fat content to look fat and showed a high rate of fat in blood tests.
Results of laboratory tests showed that the use of chitosan from shrimp waste is showing good results. The amount of fat in the blood of rats is reduced and the reduction is not different from the reduction jauhb when taking doctor prescribed medication. "This means that chitosan is given quite healthy," said claudia.
Chitosan is used in the experiments were designed capsule. According to claudia, it does not reduce the benefits of chitosan. Instead it has the practical benefit. "Where will be produced for humans, chitosan is more practical and people want to drink it. If the consume chitosannya directly, the state tends to slack," said Claudia explained.
The use of chitosan in the treatment of hyperlipidemia will be beneficial in terms of cost. "Once the patent medication, so if 11,000 people spent the day drinking three times the 33,000 will be spent. If the chitosan is, once drank only 3000 up to 3 times the 9000 drinking," said Claudia. Thus, chitosan may be consumed by more people.
Claudia reveals she is now the center is able to obtain patents from the product. In addition, he also was looking for references from a variety of journals that can chotosan tested its effectiveness in humans. In the future, it is also able to obtain permission from the BPOM (Drug and Food Control Agency) to distribute the medicine. Consumption of this chitosan, like other natural remedies, if used in proper amounts will not cause side effects.
Research on it, Claudia won the Emil Salim Smart Awards from the Climate Leaders Program, a program organized the Foundation of Sustainable Development (YPB) in order to attract young people who are committed to preserving the environment for the vision to carry out its mission. Emil Salim Awards Award Hall of receipt of the Sapta charm, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Jakarta, Sunday (10/24/2010) yesterday.
