Engineering aspects of herbal and phytochemical processing: A Malaysian perspective

Abstract

Malaysia has a strong knowledge base of herbal product usage with a wide user base. SeveralMalaysian herbs have strong potential to be developed into global herbal medicines such as TongkatAlifor impotence, Kacip Fatimahfor hormone replacement therapy and Hempedu Bumifor diabetesand hypertension. In order to produce herbal medicines, standardisation, i.e. the process ofproducing herbal extracts or phytochemicals in which product potency is guaranteed throughconsistency in active compound profile and content level, is essential. Proper process developmentand effective analysis are the keys to standardisation.Process development of herbal processing in Malaysia involves modelling and optimisation studiesof extraction equipment such as batch solid liquid extraction. In order to build effective processmodels and apply process design methods, physical and chemical data is required of the local herbs.At present very little knowledge is available of such parameters such as solubility, partition coefficientand heat transfer coefficients. In order to build a niche in the herbal medicine market, Malaysia can undertake product developmentbased on local knowledge in terms of product formulation, form, and usage. Lastly, the experiencesat the Chemical Engineering Pilot Plant (CEPP), the national research centre for process and productdevelopment in natural products and bioprocess is covered.