MSU School of Pharmacy

Welcome to the MSU School of Pharmacy's webpage.

Pharmacy Student's Orientation 2012

The First Pharmacy Student's Orientation in MSU by MPhC

Asian Federation for Pharmaceutical Science Conference 2011

Organizers and participants of Asian Federation for Pharmaceutical Science Conference 2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Coca-Cola and Pepsi Soft Drink Ingredient Can Cause Cancer


Coca-Cola and Pepsi deny their soft drinks cause cancer, but studies show that the caramel coloring ingredient used in Coca-Cola and Pepsi can cause cancer.

A widely consumed beverage, colas are known for their dark colors and fizzy taste. New revelations point to a hidden danger in those colas, that many consumers are unaware of. On February 22, 2011, Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D and Executive Director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, CSPI, appeared in the Huffington Post with accusations against both Coca-Cola and Pepsi soda drinks.

Caramel Food Colorings Contain 4-Methylimidazole: Carcinogen

Caramel food colorings are used in many dark beverages and some beers to give a darker and "caramelized" color to the product. As Jacobsen reports, there are four different types of caramel coloring that are used as additives in certain beverages.

The first caramel coloring is simply made by melting and browning sugar, thus creating a caramel color. However, the other three methods of producing a caramel color involves reacting sugar with other chemical compounds. Caramel coloring can be achieved when reacting sugar with sulfites, sugar with ammonium compounds, or, in Coca-Cola and Pepsi's case, reacting sugar with both ammonium and sulfite compounds. Coloring made from the last recipe is also called "Caramel IV" or "ammonia-sulfite process caramel."

When sugars are reacted with ammonia, byproducts such as 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole are able to form.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi Caramel Coloring 4-Methylimadazole Causes Cancer

4-Methylimadazole has shown to be harmful to health and is capable of causing cancer. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has provided notice of intent to list 4-Methylimadazole as a chemical that can cause cancer.

The National Toxicology Program reports that a study involving rats and mice yielded mixed results when it came to ingesting 4-methylimidazole. Male rats who were exposed to the chemical showed no evidence that it caused cancer. However, female rats showed equivocal evidence of Monoluclear cell leukemia. The studies involving mice showed that both the male and female mice displayed clear evidence that 4-methylimidazole caused carcinogenic activity.

On January 7, 2011, The State of California put 4-Methylimadazole on the list of Proposition 65, which contains chemicals known to cause cancer.

FDA Asked to Ban Certain Caramel Colorings In Coca-Cola and Pepsi Drinks

The CSPI is asking the U.S Food and Drug Administration, FDA, to ban certain caramel colorings that are used in darker colored beverages. Those colorings that use sugar reacted with ammonia are the ones that produce the byproducts 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole and are the ones that the CSPI are asking the FDA to ban.

Manufacturers such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi can still use caramel colorings made from reacting sugars with sulfites, as they have not shown to produce cancer-causing byproducts.

American Beverage Association Denies Danger of 4-Methylimadazole

Opposing the CSPI's accusations, the American Beverage Association, ABE, has denied the dangers of the byproduct 4-Methylimadazole, 4-MEI, and indicates that there is no threat whatsoever to human health. The ABE further states that the CSPI is trying to scare the general public and that there is no proof that 4-MEI causes cancer in humans.

The studies done by the National Toxicology Program did not, in fact, test any humans to determine carcinogenic activity. The study only involved mice and rats and did prove that 4-MEI is able to cause cancer, though it's not yet determined what species may be affected.

The concern was great enough for the State of California however, and the addition of 4-Methylimidazole to Proposition 65 was effective as of January 7, 2011.

The American Beverage Association further backs up their denial that 4-MEI causes cancer, by stating that " ...people have been safely drinking colas for more than a century....".

Human studies have not yet been concluded to determine if 4-MEI causes cancer in humans and whether or not individuals who consumer dark-colored beverages have a higher instance of cancer than those who do not consumer dark-colored beverages.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Industrial Visit to CCM Duopharma Biotech Bhd



Hello readers,


School of Pharmacy had an industrial visit to CCM Duopharma Biotech Berhad which is the 1st pharmaceutical company producing generic drugs in Malaysia. The visit was held at 21st of February 2011 which falls on Monday scheduled at 2pm. The industrial visit idea was generated from the project manager, Chua Pei Yong.


Target student is 20 students accompanied by the Head of Department Mr. Mohd Fadli, lecturers Mr. Mohd Nizam and Dr. Jiyauddin Khan. The group was greeted warmly by the representative of CCM Duopharma, Puan Nurhariati and Mr Affandi. An interesting presentation basically on CCM Duopharma was given to the students about the generic products production at our country. They even launching for refilling human vaccines five years later and the first south east Asia who got this contract signed. Q and A session was interesting because the students were curious about the job opportunites in pharmaceutical industries.


They offered some refreshments and we had a rest before they bought us touring around the company. Firstly, we were bought to the water treatment system. According to Mr. Satish which was the person in-charge for water treatment system, the water plays vital roles for providing the desired quality of pharmaceutical products. The water treatment were using reverse osmosis (RO) system. After that, we are brought to the production department while can observed the making of pharmaceutical products such as tablets in a sterilized conditions with HEPA filters at box.


Then, we proceed to the warehouse department and we got to know how the pharmaceutical products being stored and its precautions. After that, we proceed to QC and QA department which was the last part of the trip. This is an open mind and informative industrial visit for the students. Hope the School of Pharmacy will organize this meaningful event again.

Friday, February 18, 2011

NATIONAL PHARMACY SPORT CARNIVAL 2011@ PENANG

Good day bloggers. First of all, do forgive me because under circumstances, i am not able to post this report as early as i expected. However, here is the report regarding one of our biggest event for 2011. :)

The history of National Pharmacy Sport Carnival (NPSC) started from February 2008 was organized by School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) and continued with second NPSC was organized by Faculty of Pharmacy from UiTM Shah Alam as well as the third NPSC 2011 was organized by School of Pharmacy, Management and Science University (MSU)

For this year, University Sains Malaysia had been honoured to be the host for 4th NPSC 2011. This event was held on 29th till 30th January 2010. The universities involved were University Malaya (UM), University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), International Islamic Univeristy of Malaysia (IIUM), University Teknology Mara (UiTM), Management and Science University (MSU), Masterskill College of Nursing and Health, Cyberjaya University (CUCMS), AIMST University and University Sains Malaysia (USM)

Our team reached USM Penang on Friday evening and received a warm welcome from the organizer. The event start on Saturday, 29th January with modern games which were netball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, futsal, ping pong and takraw as well as badminton. We able to have representatives for the modern games except for volleyball, takraw and basketball. All the games ended early than expected which gave advantages to all players as they can have a good rest and pull their strength for the next day.

On Sunday, 30th January, the traditional games started which included batu seremban, upih pinang, tuju kasut and taril tali as well as galah panjang. The closing ceremony placed at Dewan Utama Desasiswa. NPSC 2011 had been officiate by YB. Prof. Dato' Omar Osman, Vice Chancellor, Hal Ehwal & Pembangunan Pelajar USM and also attended by Prof. Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman, Dean School of Pharmaceutical Sciences USM.

Here are few pictures: :)




galah panjang


upih pinang


netball game



futsal team

Here are the results from the Games:
  • Galah Panjang Lelaki : first place was MSU, second place was UiTM, third place was was UM
  • Galah Panjang Perempuan : first place was UiTM
  • Batu Seremban : first place was UiTM
  • Tarik Tali : first place was UiTM
  • Tuju Kasut Lelaki : first place was UiTM
  • Tuju Kasut Perempuan : first place was UM
  • Upih Pinang Lelaki : first place was UM
  • Upih Pinang Perempuan : first place was USM A
  • Ping Pong
  • Men single : first place was MSU, second place was UIA
  • Women single : first place was UM, second place was UiTM
  • Men Double : first place was UIA, second place was CUCMS
  • Women Double : first place was UM, second place was MSU
  • Badminton
  • Men single : first place was UM, second place was UIA
  • Women single : first place was USM A , second place was USM
  • Men Double : first place was USM A, second place was UIA
  • Women Double :first place was UKM, second place was CUCMS
  • Tennis
  • Men single : first place was UiTM, second place was UM
  • Women single : first place was AIMST, second place was USM A
  • Basketball : first place was AIMST, second place was USM A, third place was UiTM
  • Takraw : first place was UIA, second place was UiTM, third place was UM
  • Futsal Lelaki : first place was USM A, second place was UIA, third place was UM and CUCMS
  • Futsal perempuan : first place was CUCMS, second place was UIA, third place was UKM and UiTM
  • Netball : first place was UIA, second place was UiTM, third place was USM A and UM
  • Volleyball lelaki : first place was UIA, second place was CUCMS, third place was USM A
  • Volleyball perempuan : first place was USM A, second place was UIA, third place was UiTM
Overall results are:

  1. UIA with 4 golds and 6 silvers
  2. USM A with 4 golds, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes
  3. UM with 3 golds, 1 silver and 3 bronzes
  4. AIMST with 2 golds
  5. UiTM with 1 gold, 3 silvers and 1 bronze
  6. CUCMS with 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze
  7. MSU with 1 gold and 1 silver
  8. UKM with 1 gold and 1 bronze
  9. USM B with 1 silver

Monday, February 14, 2011

Industrial Visit

MSU School of Pharmacy will have its 1st Industrial Visit to CCM Dupoharma and Beryl's Choclate at 21st February. So far, Beryl's have approved and waiting for reply from CCM..pray that CCM will provide positive feedback

Final Exam Nov 2011 Long Sem Draft

MSU - Final Examination Timetable for November 2011 session (DRAFT)
Monday February 14, 2011 - 10:39



Dear All MSU Students,

Please be informed that MSU, Final Examination Timetable for November 2011 session (DRAFT) is now available for download.

To download: Go to myCampus Tools Tab → file storage → MSU FINAL EXAM TT NOV 2010 SESSION (DRAFT) Folder → file →

1. DRAFT MSU FE TT NOV 2010 SESSION FBMP – STUDENT

2. DRAFT MSU FE TT NOV 2010 SESSION FHLS – STUDENT

3. DRAFT MSU FE TT NOV 2010 SESSION FISE – STUDENT

4. DRAFT MSU FE TT NOV 2010 SESSION IMS – STUDENT

5. DRAFT MSU FE TT NOV 2010 SESSION SPH – STUDENT

Those who have any issues with regards to subjects clashing, please refer to the examination department latest by Thursday, 17 February 2011.

Your attention and cooperation are highly appreciated.

Thank you.