ANGEL (ANALGESIC GEL) : UTILIZATION OF CYPERUS

ROTUNDUS L AS RAW MATERIAL FOR SHORT-TERM RELIEF OF

MUSCLE PAIN
Ferdi Saepulah, Balqis Wahidatin Rukmananda, Renanda Indra Bachtiar
State Polytechnic of Malang
Email : ferdisaepulah333@gmail.com

Indonesia has a diverse distribution of plant growth, one of which is a nutgrass. The
roots of nutgrass also called tuber has the scientific name Cyperus rotundus L is
rarely utilized and its growth only becomes a pest for the surrounding environment.
On the other hand, Cyperus rotundus L contains analgesic compounds which if
processed into oil products can be used to ease the muscle pains. Lately, the
majority of muscle oil and ointment market products contain chemicals that are
somewhat hazardous towards the skin. So an innovative solution is needed to
prevent the skin irritation and allergic due to hazardous chemical-based ointments
by making alternative analgesic gel (ANGEL) product that is made by utilizing
nutgrass tubers and additional aloe vera as thickening gel ingredients for a longer
lasting analgesic effect. By using qualitative research method, namely by
conducting a literature study as a basis for research and formulation analysis to
produce ANGEL. There are 3 stages in the making of ANGEL, namely drying,
dissolving, and thickening. The process of making ANGEL can take place
continuously, beginning with the drying of the grass and followed extracting the
tuber oil in an ethanol 90% in concentration heated at 78oC to evaporate the solvent.
After an hour of dissolution the oil is separated from the mixture. Then the oil is
mixed with aloe vera gel for thickening. 1 kg of nutgrass can produce 20 packs of
ANGEL 15 g. The ANGEL is expected to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals
in ointments and increase the market value of local resources.

Keyword : Analgesic Gel, Cyperus rotundus L, Muscle Pain

Background
1. Indonesia has vast amount of biodiversity
2. Recent analgesic and skin ointments has high content of chemicals and tends
to cause harm to the skin.
3. One of indonesian biodiversity is nutgrass which has high content of natural
analgesic compounds harmless to human skin

How to made?
1. Drying nutgrass for 1 day in sunlight.
2. Nutgrass oil extraction by Soxhlet method using 90% ethanol solvent.
3. Separation of ethanol solvent by simple distillation.
4. Oil mixed with aloevera gel for thickening.
Result
1. Target sales in a month 600 ANGEL products with thw following detiles
600 products x Rp 14.000 = Rp 8.400.000
1 month sales target
= monthly sales – raw material
= Rp 8.400.000-(Rp 3.615.000+Rp 1.500.000)
= Rp 3.285.0000

Conclusion
Nutgrass has a high content of analgesic compounds and can produce as much
as 290 ml from 1 kg of nutgrass with monthly gross of 8.400.000 with 5.115.000
production price which by default has monthly profit of 3.285.000 therefore
makes ANGEL a potentially profitable business