Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

 Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

https://www.penangpharmacists.com/programs/pps2026

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026

From Vitality to Longevity: Science, Pharmacy & Better Health Across Life.

 

The Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026 (PPS 2026) represents an important platform for advancing pharmacy practice, scientific knowledge and collaboration across Malaysia's healthcare industry.

“A longer life is a gift. A life lived well is the greater goal.”

This theme moves healthcare beyond simply treating illness. It highlights the importance of prevention, maintaining vitality, managing age-related health challenges and improving quality of life for both men and women.

The following is based on the symposium's published information.

 

1. Key facts extracted

 

Venue St. Giles Wembley, Penang

Theme Vitality to Longevity: A Life-Course Approach for Men & Women

Attendance More than 250 participants

Participants Pharmacists, healthcare professionals and industry partners

Scientific programme 9 scientific sessions

Practical programme 5 interactive workshops

Organisers MPS Penang and MPS–YPC Penang

 

Source: Official PPS 2026 website.

https://www.penangpharmacists.com/programs/pps2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

2. The important healthcare messages

The symposium highlighted five important areas of practical healthcare education.

 

1. Musculoskeletal health

Appropriate knee support, pain management, mobility and functional assessment.

 

2. Diabetes and metabolic health

Looking beyond HbA1c through nutritional assessment and body composition analysis.

 

3. Hearing and communication

Hearing health as an essential component of healthy ageing and quality of life.

 

4. Cardiovascular health

Blood pressure monitoring, atrial fibrillation screening and ECG monitoring to support early detection and referral.

 

5. Wound management

Wound assessment, cleansing, topical treatment and appropriate dressing selection.

 

These five workshops were led by specialists in physiotherapy, dietetics, audiology, cardiovascular monitoring and wound care.

https://www.penangpharmacists.com/programs/pps2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

3. A significant opportunity for the herbal and nutraceutical industry

 

One particularly relevant development was the participation of Biotropics Malaysia Berhad in the symposium exhibition.

 

According to the event coverage published by Buletin Mutiara on 20 October 2026:

 

Biotropics was among the 10 participating exhibition companies.

The exhibition included pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products.

 

YB Daniel Gooi Zi Sen visited the exhibition booths.

A photograph accompanying the report showed him being briefed on supplement tablets by a Nu-Prep representative.

 

This is meaningful because it demonstrates an opportunity for Malaysian herbal science and nutraceutical innovation to engage directly with pharmacists and healthcare professionals.

The wider exhibition also included Zuellig Pharma, Avant Health, GK Bio, Blackmores, Revo Healthcare, Proxima, Lexus Penang, Zipper Resources and Omron.

 

The important message: Herbal products should not be positioned merely as traditional remedies. Their development, quality, standardisation, safety and clinical evidence should be communicated clearly to healthcare professionals.

 

For Biotropics, this creates a natural opportunity to introduce the scientific work behind PHYSTA® Tongkat Ali and KESUM, while ensuring that every health claim is supported by appropriate evidence.

 

4. The bigger picture: Why this symposium matters

The symposium reflects five important directions for the future of healthcare:

 

Preventive healthcare – helping people manage health risks before complications develop.

Gender-specific healthcare – recognising the different health needs of men and women.

 

Healthy ageing – maintaining physical, cognitive and metabolic health throughout life.

Evidence-based practice – translating scientific findings into appropriate patient care.

Professional collaboration – connecting pharmacists, medical practitioners, researchers and healthcare industries.

 

The event's published attendance figure was more than 250, while Buletin Mutiara subsequently reported more than 300 pharmacists and healthcare professionals.

 

These are two separately published figures, rather than a single confirmed final count.

 

5. Professional storytelling – ready for publication.

 

PENANG PHARMACISTS SYMPOSIUM 2026 Bridging Science, Vitality & Longevity

A longer life is a gift. A life lived well is the greater goal.

The Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026, held on 17–18 October at St. Giles Wembley Penang, brought together pharmacists, healthcare professionals and industry partners under the theme:

“Vitality to Longevity: A Life-Course Approach for Men & Women.”

With more than 250 participants reported by the organisers, this two-day symposium highlighted an important shift in modern healthcare: moving beyond treating illness towards prevention, early intervention and maintaining quality of life throughout the ageing journey.

Nine scientific sessions and five practical workshops explored important areas including men's and women's health, diabetes management, cardiovascular health, mobility, hearing and wound care.

For Biotropics Malaysia Berhad, participation in the exhibition was an important opportunity to connect Malaysian herbal science with the professional pharmacy community.

Through PHYSTA® Tongkat Ali and KESUM, we believe that traditional Malaysian botanical resources deserve to be developed and communicated through scientific research, standardisation, quality assurance and responsible clinical evidence.

The future of healthcare requires collaboration between pharmacists, healthcare professionals, researchers and responsible industry partners.

Our message is simple:

Science must lead innovation. Evidence must build confidence. Collaboration must create impact.

Because the ultimate purpose of healthcare is not simply to live longer, but to live healthier, stronger and better.

Science First, Everything Follows.

Biotropics Malaysia Berhad

 

6. My strategic assessment for Biotropics

 

Opportunity Recommended direction

Pharmacists Build scientific awareness of PHYSTA® and KESUM

Doctors Strengthen clinical evidence communication

Healthy ageing Develop responsible vitality and longevity education

Diabetes and metabolic health Position KESUM research within appropriate evidence boundaries

Men's and women's health Communicate gender-specific research without overstating benefits

Industry collaboration Develop research, education and professional engagement.

 

The strongest positioning is not simply selling Tongkat Ali or Kesum. It is demonstrating how Malaysian botanical science can contribute to the future of evidence-based healthcare.

 

Official references.

 

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026 – Official programme and highlights⁠

https://www.penangpharmacists.com/programs/pps2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com   

 

Buletin Mutiara – Penang Pharmacists Symposium highlights vitality and longevity⁠.

https://www.buletinmutiara.com/penang-pharmacists-symposium-highlights-vitality-and-longevity/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

PPS 2026 – Original event announcement⁠

https://www.penangpharmacists.com/post/pps2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026. 

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Penang Pharmacists Symposium 2026.

Symposium review · Men's health · Herbal science

From Root to Evidence: Tongkat Ali, Testosterone and Quality of Life

How a Malaysian rainforest root became one of the most closely studied herbal extracts in men's health, and what pharmacists should take away from the data.

Based on the lecture by Dr. Annie George, Head of Science, Biotropics Malaysia BerhadPenang Pharmacists Symposium · 17–18 October 2026 · St. Giles Hotel, Penang

Prologue

A decoction on the kitchen stove

For generations, Malaysian families have boiled the bitter root of Eurycoma longifolia, better known as Tongkat Ali, into a water decoction. It was taken as an energising tonic, to bring down fever, against malaria and as an aphrodisiac. That knowledge was passed down by word of mouth, but it was never measured.

Dr. Annie George opened her lecture to young pharmacists in Penang with a simple question: what does it take to move a traditional remedy from the kitchen into the pharmacy, with the kind of evidence a healthcare professional can stand behind? Her answer covered more than two decades of work on one standardised extract, PHYSTA^®, and the methods behind it matter as much as the results.

Tradition tells us where to look. Science tells us what is actually there, how much of it, and for whom it works.

Chapter 1 · Standardisation

Making a root measurable

The first scientific step had nothing to do with clinical trials. Before any study can be repeated, every batch has to be the same, and plant material varies with soil, season, age of the root and how it is processed. PHYSTA^® is a standardised water extract of the root. The water-based process mirrors the traditional decoction and leaves no residual organic solvent.

The extract is specified against the Malaysian Standard MS 2409:2011 for Tongkat Ali, and the presentation stated that it complies with USP and BP specifications for heavy metals and microbial limits. Its marker profile:

Eurycomanone

0.8–1.5%

Key quassinoid marker

Glycosaponins

> 40%

Major bioactive fraction

Polysaccharides

> 30%

Water-soluble fraction

Protein

> 22%

Includes the "eurypeptides"

According to the company, this single extract is supported by 28 clinical studies, more than 10 toxicity studies and more than 25 preclinical studies. That figure is Biotropics' own count. The point for pharmacists is the principle behind it: clinical results belong to the specific, standardised extract that was tested. They cannot be assumed for every product sold as "Tongkat Ali".

Chapter 2 · The clinical problem

Why testosterone matters in the ageing man

Testosterone in men declines gradually with age. When levels fall far enough, men can experience changes across three areas of life:

• Physical: loss of muscle mass, more body fat and lower bone density.
• Emotional and mental: irritability, fatigue and "brain fog".
• Sexual: lower libido, erectile difficulties and possible fertility problems.

To track these symptoms the studies used the Ageing Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale, a validated 17-item questionnaire covering physical, psychological and sexual domains. Scores of 17–26 indicate no or minimal symptoms, 27–36 mild, 37–49 moderate, and 50 or more severe.

The local context makes this relevant. The presentation cited the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, which estimated that 78.7% of sexually active Malaysian men have some degree of erectile dysfunction, and a Malaysian study of 1,331 men aged 40–76 (Ab Rahman et al., 2011) that confirmed the problem is common, especially after 40. Pharmacists are often the first professional these men speak to.

Chapter 3 · The testosterone evidence

Four clinical studies, four questions

Dr. George presented four human studies on testosterone and ageing-male symptoms. They were designed differently, and the design determines how much weight each result can carry. Each card below is labelled by design.

Open-label

Men with late-onset hypogonadism

Tambi et al., 2012 · Andrologia 44(S1):226–30

• 76 men with late-onset hypogonadism; 200 mg/day for 1 month
• Men with testosterone in the normal range rose from 35.5% to 90.8%
• AMS symptom scores fell significantly

Encouraging signal, but there was no placebo group, so expectation effects can't be ruled out.

Open-label pilot

Physically active seniors, men and women

Henkel et al., 2014 · Phytotherapy Research 28:544–550

• 25 active seniors aged 57–72; 400 mg/day for 5 weeks
• Total testosterone: men 3.84 → 4.42 ng/mL (+15.1%); women 0.35 → 0.52 ng/mL (+48.6%)
• Handgrip strength: men 46.0 → 53.7 kg (+16.6%); women 29.6 → 33.7 kg (+13.7%)

Small pilot without a control group. Useful for generating hypotheses.

Placebo-controlled

Moderately stressed adults

Talbott et al., 2013 · J Int Soc Sports Nutr 10:28

• 63 adults with moderate stress; 200 mg/day for 4 weeks
• Salivary cortisol −16%; testosterone +37%
• Mood (POMS): tension −11%, anger −12%, confusion −15%

Suggests that stress hormones and mood are part of the picture, not only testosterone.

Randomised, double-blind, multicentre

Ageing men with low testosterone

Chinnappan et al., 2021 · Food Nutr Res 65:5647

• 105 men aged 50–70, testosterone <300 ng/dL; placebo, 100 mg or 200 mg/day for 12 weeks
• Testosterone up significantly (+12% at 2 weeks on 200 mg; +8.8% at 8 weeks on 100 mg); DHEA up about 10%
• AMS score −50% (200 mg) and −42% (100 mg); fatigue score −54% / −40%
• Cortisol −10% and modest gains in muscle strength at 12 weeks

The strongest design in the set. Safety was monitored with blood count, liver, kidney and lipid panels.

BeforeAfter 4 wk35.5%90.8%0%25%50%75%100%Share of men with testosterone in the normal range (6.0–30.0 nmol/L), before and after 200 mg/day PHYSTA^® for 4 weeks. Open-label study, n = 76 (Tambi et al., 2012).

How to read these numbers. The rises in testosterone are modest and mostly keep men within the physiological range. That is the expected profile of a herbal supplement that supports the body's own production. It is not the effect of testosterone replacement therapy, and it should not be presented as one. The more useful outcome for patients is the consistent fall in symptom scores (AMS, fatigue and mood) seen across studies.

Chapter 4 · Quality of life

Beyond the lab value: how men feel and function

A blood result only matters to a patient if it changes daily life. Three further studies looked at the outcomes men actually notice.

Randomised, placebo-controlled

Healthy men: vitality and sexual well-being

Shaiful et al., 2012 · Evid-Based Complement Altern Med

• 109 healthy men aged 35–55; 300 mg/day for 12 weeks
• Improvement in SF-36 physical function and vitality domains at week 12
• Libido up about 14% (Sexual Health Questionnaire); fat loss among men with BMI > 25

Randomised, double-blind

Men with mild erectile dysfunction

Udani et al., 2014 · Evid-Based Complement Altern Med

• 26 married men aged 40–65 with mild ED and testosterone ≤450 ng/dL; 200 mg/day for 12 weeks
• Erection hardness +39%; Sexual Health Inventory for Men +26%; AMS −24%
• About 90% reported satisfaction with sexual experience

Small trial. The published paper tested PHYSTA^® together with Polygonum minus, so effects can't be attributed to Tongkat Ali alone.

Uncontrolled

Idiopathic male infertility

Tambi & Imran, 2010 · Asian J Androl 12:376–380

• 75 men with idiopathic infertility; 200 mg/day, followed for 9 months
• Semen volume +19.3%, sperm concentration +65.5%, normal morphology +94.9%
• 11 spontaneous pregnancies (14.7%) were reported among partners

No control group. Some improvement and pregnancies can occur over 9 months without treatment.

Performance and recovery

Two sports studies add a related angle. In a 5-week randomised, placebo-controlled strength-training study (Hamzah & Yusof, 2003, published as a conference abstract), men taking 100 mg/day gained more strength and arm circumference and lost more fat mass than those on placebo. In a 2024 brief report (Talbott & George, Andrology), 30 men took 100 mg or placebo 30 minutes before a 24-hour mountain-bike event. The PHYSTA^® group had 32.3% lower salivary cortisol and 16.4% higher salivary testosterone than placebo, and reported less fatigue.

Dr. George's interpretation was that the extract may help shift the body from a stress-driven, catabolic state toward a better anabolic–catabolic balance that supports recovery. That remains a hypothesis: it fits the hormone data but still needs larger trials with performance outcomes.

Chapter 5 · Mechanism and new frontiers

How might it work, and where is research heading?

Possible mechanisms

Steering steroid production. Early doctoral work (Norhaniza, 2003) found that a protein fraction from the root, called eurypeptide, increased expression of the enzyme CYP17A1 in Leydig cells. This enzyme converts pregnenolone toward DHEA, a precursor of testosterone. The researchers proposed that the extract may favour androgen production over glucocorticoid (cortisol) production. That would be consistent with the human data showing testosterone rising while cortisol falls.

Protecting the testis from oxidative stress. In a 2025 rat study (Eissa et al., J Ethnopharmacol), Tongkat Ali extract given alongside the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil raised antioxidant enzymes, reduced lipid peroxidation, and preserved testosterone and sperm quality compared with untreated animals.

Emerging areas

The lecture also covered earlier-stage research beyond men's hormones:

• Immunity (George et al., 2016, Phytother Res): compared with placebo, supplementation improved a composite immune score (SIV) and counts of total lymphocytes, T-cells, CD4⁺ and naïve T-cells.
• Women's health (Muniandy et al., 2025, World J Clin Cases): 120 women aged 45–55 took 50 mg, 100 mg or placebo for 3 months. The 100 mg group improved significantly more than placebo on the physical, sexual and total domains of the menopause quality-of-life scale (MENQOL), with better mood scores.
• Gut microbiome (2025): early data suggest more short-chain-fatty-acid–producing bacteria and fewer potentially harmful Proteobacteria. Preliminary.
• Longevity (Liu et al., 2026, Biogerontology): Tongkat Ali extended lifespan by about 24% in worms (C. elegans) and 20% in fruit flies, with better stress resistance and mobility.

Keep these in proportion. Animal and model-organism results show possible biology. They are not evidence of benefit in people. The longevity and microbiome findings are reasons to do more research, not claims to put on a product.

Chapter 6 · Weighing the evidence

A pharmacist's evidence map

The overall picture is promising and fairly consistent, but the evidence is not equally strong for every benefit listed in the conclusion of the lecture. This table grades each area by the type of study behind it.

Area	Best available evidence	Strength	What can be said responsibly
Testosterone and ageing-male symptoms	Randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial (n = 105) plus supportive open-label studies	Moderate	Clinically studied to support healthy testosterone levels and reduce ageing-male symptoms
Fatigue, stress and mood	Two placebo-controlled trials	Moderate	May help reduce fatigue and stress-related mood symptoms
Vitality and libido	Placebo-controlled trials (n = 109; n = 26, combination product)	Limited–moderate	May support vitality and sexual well-being in healthy men
Muscle strength and recovery	Small RCTs and abstracts	Limited	Early evidence of strength and recovery support alongside training
Sperm quality	Uncontrolled study (n = 75)	Limited	Promising; needs controlled trials before any fertility claim
Menopausal symptoms, immunity	Single placebo-controlled trial each	Limited	Emerging evidence; awaits replication
Gut health, longevity	Preliminary human data; worms and fruit flies	Preclinical	Research direction only; no consumer claim

Limitations to keep in mind

• Most trials are small (25–120 people) and short (4–12 weeks). Long-term data are limited.
• Several studies were open-label or uncontrolled, which tends to overstate effects.
• Much of the research was funded or co-authored by the manufacturer. That is common in nutraceutical science and does not invalidate it, but independent replication would make it stronger.
• All results apply to this standardised extract at the tested doses (100–400 mg/day). They do not transfer to other Tongkat Ali products.

Chapter 7 · Safety and communication

Talking to patients responsibly

The safety record presented is reassuring. The extract has more than ten toxicity studies behind it, and the controlled trials monitored blood counts and liver, kidney and lipid profiles. Good counselling still matters, because a man asking about "low T" may have a condition that needs a doctor.

Say

• "Clinically studied to support healthy testosterone levels."
• "In trials, men reported less fatigue and fewer ageing-related symptoms."
• "Results apply to this specific standardised extract at the studied dose."
• "Give it several weeks. Studies ran for 4 to 12 weeks."

Avoid

• "Boosts testosterone like hormone therapy."
• "Cures erectile dysfunction or infertility."
• "Proven to extend lifespan."
• Treating every Tongkat Ali product as equivalent.

Refer when

• Symptoms suggest diagnosed hypogonadism, severe or sudden ED, or cardiovascular risk
• The man has prostate or other hormone-sensitive conditions
• He takes several chronic medicines and interactions need review
• A couple has been unable to conceive for a year or more

The referral points above reflect general pharmacy practice rather than specific content from the lecture. Product labels and national regulatory guidance should always take precedence.

Chapter 8 · The road ahead

Taking Malaysian herbal science to the world

The broader lesson of the lecture was about method. Biotropics, founded in 2007, has built its standing on standardised extraction, a national product standard (MS 2409:2011), and a quality system that includes GMP (Ministry of Health Malaysia), ISO 22000 certification, a US FDA establishment inspection report, and Halal (JAKIM) and Kosher certification. Its research has been published in international journals such as Andrologia, Phytotherapy Research and the Asian Journal of Andrology.

For Malaysian herbal science to earn wider international recognition, the next steps are clear:

Bigger, longer trials

Pre-registered, multicentre, placebo-controlled studies with hundreds of participants and follow-up beyond 12 weeks.

Independent replication

Studies run by academic groups without commercial ties, at home and abroad.

Human mechanism studies

Confirming in people the hormonal pathways seen in cells and animals.

Pharmacovigilance

Pharmacists reporting adverse events and interactions to build real-world safety data.

Young pharmacists have a direct part in this. They decide which products to recommend, how claims are explained to the public, and whether a herbal product is judged on its evidence or on its marketing.

Tongkat Ali started as a family remedy. Careful standardisation and clinical research have turned it into a well-characterised ingredient. Malaysian herbal heritage, supported by science, is progressing towards international recognition.

Key references cited in the presentation

1. Tambi MIBM, Imran MK, Henkel RR. Andrologia. 2012;44(S1):226–30.
2. Henkel RR, et al. Phytotherapy Research. 2014;28:544–550.
3. Talbott SM, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10:28.
4. Chinnappan SM, George A, et al. Food Nutr Res. 2021;65:5647.
5. Ismail SB, et al. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med. 2012; doi:10.1155/2012/429268.
6. Udani JK, George AA, et al. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med. 2014.
7. Tambi MIBM, Imran MK. Asian J Androl. 2010;12:376–380.
8. Hamzah S, Yusof A. Br J Sports Med. 2003;37:465–466 (abstract).
9. Talbott SM, George A. Andrology. 2024;13:317.
10. George A, et al. Phytotherapy Research. 2016; doi:10.1002/ptr.5571.
11. Muniandy S, et al. World J Clin Cases. 2025;13(31):109113.
12. Eissa et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2025;337(Pt 2).
13. Liu et al. Biogerontology. 2026;27:82.
14. Ab Rahman et al. Malaysian Journal of Men's Health. 2011.

This review summarises a scientific presentation for healthcare professionals. It is educational and does not replace clinical judgement or approved product labelling. PHYSTA^® is a registered trademark of Biotropics Malaysia Berhad.