UMT SCIENTISTS PRODUCE BEAUTY SERUM FROM MALAY WILLOW

By Kamaliza Kamaruddin

KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The presence of the “Cucur atap” tree, a Malay willow scientifically known as Baeckea frutescens, which can be easily found growing wild in the sandy soil along the coast of Terengganu, is not known to many, until a research by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) found it to produce anti-aging agent for beauty care.

Head of Marine Biotechnology Institute at UMT,  Associate Professor Dr Mohd Zul Helmi Rozaini said his three-year research on the plant produced a beauty serum that was on par with international products.

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“Through extract from the cucur atap tree, I have produced a serum, using the brand name ‘Krasna’, which is an innovation of hybrid medical cosmeceutical skin care products that combine the absorption effects five times faster than conventional products to ensure the skin elasticity remains smooth and tense for as long as 24 hours.

“It also an antiseptic as it is capable of protecting the skin against harmful bacteria. The benefits of Krasna serum is as a nanoemulsion  agent that carries active ingredients to penetrate the skin epidermis which is very good to fight the effects of aging," he told Bernama.

Mohd Zul Helmi said he started his research on ‘cucur atap’ after he was awarded the UMT Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)  in Applied Science from the Ministry of Education in 2011 and then filed a patent for nanovesicle technology to MyIPMO to be evaluated through UMT's Centre for Research and Innovation Management.

Normally, there would be problems to commercialise products of research by scientists as companies do not want to help market them, but not for the serum produced through the research by Mohd Zul Helmi.

His research drew the attention of a company in Kedah which began marketing the serum product recently.

"The Krasna serum is a highly synergistic initiative between UMT and a cosmetic company, Sysfel (Raffelina Sdn Bhd), as well as ATECS Plt with the cooperation of Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) through the Symbiosis 2.0 initiative.

"We provide the technology and Sysfel markets the product after it was commercialised by  ATECS Plt and MTDC,” he added.

Besides Sysfel,  Mohd Zul Helmi said UMT also collaborated with  ‘Jamu Mak Dara’ and ZN Beauty in introducing the innovation.

-- BERNAMA