Video: Interview with Dr Joerg Gruenwald

Watch a WNBC Interview with Dr Joerg Gruenwald, Chief Scientific Officer of Biotropics Malaysia. Dr Gruenwald speaks about health & wellness and food as medicine.

Biotropics is featured as Product of the Month at GNC.com

The Biotropics ingestibles are featured at GNC.com

Health and Beauty from the Rainforest available at Barnes & Noble

Health and Beauty from the Rainforest: Malaysian Traditions of Ramuan brings to readers a collection of Malaysian health and beauty traditions that derive from the country's bio-resources. Malaysia's rainforests are among the oldest in the world, and within them Malaysia's peoples have discovered therapeutic secrets that have been incorporated into local culture for centuries.
Written by a team of academics and specialists in the field, this book highlights how history and nature have shaped the culture and traditions in Malaysia, with a focus on health and beauty. Readers will gain insight into the unique ways in which the people of Malaysia maintain their youthfulness and vitality, and promote health and well-being.
Available for purchase at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Interview with Gerard Bodeker, Editor-in-chief of Health and Beauty from the Rainforest

Dr. Bodeker speaks about Malay herbal traditions and the assembly of Health and Beauty from the Rainforest book. The book brings together the collective knowledge of everyday health care of many diverse eastern cultures, from infancy to old age, including Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic tradtions and then interlaces them with Malay traditions of the rainforest; ending in science. Bodeker describes how Malay family practices of health and wellness routines for a balanced and radiant life are infused into the contemporary resort based environment for well being, relaxation and rejuvenation.

No Longer Just Herb Collectors

A GROUP from the Jakun community of Kg Gumum, Tasik Chini in Pahang has improved its economic position through value-chain upgrading activities at a herbal processing facility. This was made possible by Tongkat Ali herbal pill manufacturers Biotropics Malaysia Berhad (Biotropics) in Shah Alam, which helped set up the herbal processing facility to enable the group to make the leap from merely collecting wild herbs in the jungle to engaging in more value-adding activities. The value-adding activities include drying, grinding, packaging and transporting the herbs. The facility is fully operated by a family in the community. In the case of Tongkat Ali roots, an orang asli would typically spend the whole day in the forest searching for the root, which he can sell at an average price of RM2 to RM3 a kilogram. However, if the roots are subjected to simple pre-processing activities such as sun drying, grinding and milling, their market value multiplies more than fourfold.

“We believe that with a little support, the orang asli themselves can undertake these simple higher-level activities that will move the product up the value chain and earn them a more decent income,” Biotropics strategy and supply chain management director Tengku Shahrir Tengku Adnan said. For Biotropics, this recent initiative with the Jakun community is not a one-off financial charitable contribution and more than a CSR project; it is an ongoing commitment. Tengku Shahrir said that, through this arrangement, the company was strengthening its commitment to developing the orang asli community by providing them an opportunity to generate extra income and developing their competency within the community. Biotropics chief scientific officer Dr Joerg Gruenwald revealed that with some financial support, loan of machinery and training on material processing, keeping simple accounts, cost control and project management, the model family had constructed and started operating a simple processing facility within six weeks. “The product will be marketed in the United States, where we have a large following for Tongkat Ali herbal pills,” Gruenwald added. The family, headed by Abu Seman, had produced its first batch of 50kg of sieved and ground Tongkat Ali root in March. And, on May 15, the group achieved a new milestone with the delivery of its first commercial one-tonne supply to the Biotropics extraction facility in Shah Alam. “Through this opportunity, we have demonstrated that we, too, have a vision and are capable of meeting set targets,” Abu Seman said. During a simple ceremony to mark the achievement, Abu Seman received a mock cheque for RM15,000 for the commercial one tonne supply to Biotropics. According to Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Hood Salleh of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), who has worked with the various orang asli communities, Abu Seman’s family was recommended to Biotropics as they had the business acumen and the right attitude for the programme. Hood said the choice of the family should not create any adverse social impact in the community as they were seen to be working closely with the others. He said Abu Seman had worked in projects with various non-government organisations (NGOs) and was therefore seen as the ideal person with whom Biotropics should start the venture. “Ideally, similar ventures could be extended to other orang asli communities if this pilot project proves to be successful,’’ Hood said. The venture has indeed proven Abu Seman’s ability to handle issues such as working with other collectors, hiring workers, keeping an eye on costs, and scheduling the activities of processing. And, it was achieved with little formal business training. The family has demonstrated how their own forest knowledge and a modern commercial business activity can be brought together to improve their lives.

Photo: You’ve earned it!: Abu Seman (second from right) and a family member (right) receiving a mock cheque for the first delivery of ground and sieved Tongkat Ali root from Gruenwald as Tengku Shahrir (left) holds a bag of the herb.

By Charles Fernandez
The Star Online

Biotropics Ads—in a publication near you!

Biotropics Ramuan Health & Spa Products at Expo West

Inspired By A Health Regimen Malaysians Have Practiced For Hundreds Of Years
Biotropics announced the debut of its revolutionary line of Ramuan Health and Ramuan Spa products, available nationwide through GNC Stores beginning in June 2009. Based on the Malaysian concept of Ramuan, Biotropics has created topical products and herbal supplements designed to help women and men feel youthful, sexually vital, and maintain optimal beauty and wellness. “Biotropics Ramuan Health and Spa products were inspired by a health regimen Malaysians have practiced for thousands of years,” said Dr. Joerg Gruenwald, Biotropics Chief Scientific Officer. “We’re introducing our men’s and women’s lines of Ramuan Health herbal supplements formulated with botanicals used in Malay wellness practices and coated with Ulam – a natural leafy herb consumed daily by Malaysians – to compliment a person’s natural balance and enhance youthful vigor. Our Ramuan Spa beauty aids were designed to smooth and invigorate the skin.” Ramuan is a Malay concept for a harmony of ingredients; Ramuan tradition holds that outer beauty is a manifestation of inner health & balance. Ramuan came from the cultural cross-pollination of Indian ayurvedics, Chinese herbalists and Malay healing customs and inspired Biotropics development of holistic health and beauty products created from carefully selected blends of natural health promoting plants and herbs. Biotropics researchers combined the best available ingredients, many indigenous to the Malaysian rainforest, and designed first-of-their-kind products to meet the health and wellness needs of modern women and men. Biotropics Asmara for Women enhances sexual vitality & reproductive health; Ramuan Health – Women’s Blends (one for Day and Night) helps maintain hormonal balance, healthy aging and vitality; Tenaga for Men is for sexual fitness and vitality; and Ramuan Health – Men’s Blend also includes Tongkat Ali to help recapture a man’s youthful vigor, sexual wellness and promote healthy aging. Biotropics Spa Topical products include Green Coffee Body Oil to moisturize, invigorate & pamper the skin; Relaxing Face Mask with Tongkat Ali nourishes and conditions; Malaysian Coffee Scrub leaves skin feeling silky smooth; and Coconut Body Polish stimulates circulation for a lasting glow. “Biotropics Ramuan products come from Malaysia’s rich tradition of health and vitality,” said Christof Jaenicke, Biotropics CEO. “We’re happy to bring them to American consumers for the first time.”

About Biotropics
Biotropics (Ramuan.com) was founded with the mission of popularizing Malaysian herbal traditions and respecting time-honored ingredients. International sourcing of manufacturing and packaging facilities in Malaysia, Germany and the US enables Biotropics to utilize specialized resources to assure consistency and quality. Biotropics is dedicated to the responsible manufacture and distribution of Malaysia’s treasured herbal health & beauty aids. Biotropics staff is united by a common desire to see Malaysia’s rich herbal traditions made available to the world, using natural ingredients responsibly harvested from indigenous sources, including ancient rainforests and tropical plantations.

To learn more, visit our website Ramuan.com