Pharmacy Professor, Javier Rincón. Photo: A. Felipe Castaño/Unimedios
Professor Rincón shows one of the steps in the process for the use of guanabana seeds for cosmetic purposes.
This is the oil that is obtained from guanabana seeds to create moisturizer cream.
Bogotá D.C., dic. 13 de 2011 - Agencia de Noticias UN– An interdisciplinary research group from Universidad Nacional de Colombia proved that guanabana seeds have components used in the pharmaceutical industry and they can be used to create moisturizer creams.
This was asserted by Professor Javier Rincon, from the Natural Production Lab from the Pharmacy Department, who is in charge of the thesis of the student Ángela Maria Vargas – one of the best scores in the Saber Pro test- who was recently awarded by the National Ministry of Education.
“She is part of a research project that we performed with seeds used industrially. Nine fruit companies extract pulp here in Sabana de Bogota, and we have an agreement for them to donate to us the seeds that they used to process as a waste,” asserted the professor.
He also indicated that the process in the lab, in experimental stage, has had the expected results and subsequently the cosmetic industrial process will start. “There are several companies interested in this topic. With fruit seeds, oil and other substances with potential cosmetic used are produced to be commercialized,” asserted the expert.
This process is performed with guanabana seed, which is a traditional very common phytochemical. It starts with the drying of the seeds in a traditional oven at the lab to 45 degrees centigrade. Then it is triturated (in the Chemical Engineer grinder). Once the vegetal material is obtained, an organic solvent is applied, such as hexane, used to obtained good cosmetic oils. After going through a filtration process, the oil which will be the base for a moisturizer cream is obtained.
“This oil is mixed with other active substances and the cream is made. It is very emollient, moisturizing, with a pleasant aroma that prevents the drying of the hands and preserves the skin,” asserted.
As grandmothers used to put roses in water as a treatment to keep the skin clean, stainless and soft, with these guanabana seeds and the seeds from other fruits this can be done as well. Professor Rincon also mentioned that some studies with the seed of Castilla’s blackberry, maracuya and lulo.
“In this lab, we are working with natural Colombian products in order to obtain a practical use for medicine and cosmetics, and at the same time use something that is considered a waste, but that has a real and benefic use,” highlights the professor.
(Por: End/CFACwhg)
N° 974
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