DOST-PCHRD grant secured by MMSU pharmacy students
By Frances Batara, StratCom Correspondent
Four junior pharmacy students from MMSU College of Health Sciences (CHS) have been awarded a Php 75,000 thesis grant by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD). Their innovative research proposal, titled “Comparative Analysis of the Antihypertensive Activity of MMSU Black Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and Ilocos White Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Ethanolic Extracts on DOCA Salt-Induced Hypertensive Rats,” aims to explore alternative treatments for hypertension using local garlic varieties.
Led by Nisha Jean Bali, alongside team members Steve King Ian Agnir, Edmar Berwin Alcarion, and Gill Adrian Tabanda, the study focuses on utilizing readily available products to provide affordable and effective therapeutic options. Their research is specifically designed to benefit Filipino patients, with a particular focus on the Ilocano community. “Our goal is to develop accessible treatments that cater to the needs of local patients,” said their research adviser, Dr. Ma. Danica Ines-Ramil.
The MMSU team is one of 24 grantees selected from 108 submissions across the country under the undergraduate thesis category for natural products.
The grant orientation, held on September 27, brought together representatives from various universities, including the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cagayan State University, and Pampanga State Agricultural University, among others. Dr. Cheryll Didi Nellie Obra, the OIC Dean of the CHS, was also present at the event.
The DOST-PCHRD, a leading organization in health research, is one of the three sectoral councils under the Department of Science and Technology. This grant supports the Tuklas Lunas Program, which aims to develop safe, effective, and affordable alternative medicines from the country’s rich natural resources.