Guamúchil students win international science award for diabetes research

Students from Guamúchil, Sinaloa, Zuria Paola Gastelum Cabanillas and Jonathan Soberanes Santos, have won first place at the V International Meeting of Science, Technology, Art, and Entrepreneurship held in Ecuador. Their award-winning project focuses on the experimental use of the zaya root to potentially control glucose levels in patients with diabetes.

The researchers developed an experimental pill named ‘Amoreus’, made from a natural extract of the root. Laboratory tests indicated an inhibitory effect on an enzyme related to the breakdown of starch into sugars, which could help prevent high glucose spikes. The students noted that the product remains in an experimental stage and requires further research, human trials, and regulatory permits before it can be commercialized.

Beyond medical research, the project aims to preserve traditional regional knowledge and protect the zaya plant from environmental risks. The students are working on developing controlled cultivation methods to prevent the depletion of natural populations. The achievement was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce, Services, and Tourism of Guamúchil.