Manuel A. Zamora (1870-1929) was a Filipino chemist and pharmacist best known for his discovery of the ''tiki-tiki'' formula against beriberi.Quirino, C. (1995). "Who's Who in Philippine History." Manila: Tahanan Books

Personal life and education

Zamora was born on March 29, 1870, in Santa Cruz, Manila to Marciano Zamora and Martina Molo Agustin. Coming from an affluent family, he finished his primary education at the

Ateneo Municipal , mottoeng = Light in the Lord , type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution , established = December 10, 1859 , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Jesuits) , academic_affi ...

. He then took up

Pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...

in the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Even as a student in UST, he was already engaged in various award-winning research works which culminated in his graduation in 1896, ''sobresaliente''. Aside from this, he was also an apprentice in ''Botica de Quiapo'' where he was trained to compound and dispense medicine. He married Baltazara Mangali with whom he had two children named Marciano and Felicidad. His granddaughter Virginia "Jennie" Zamora is a member of the executive committee of the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. Zamora died on July 9, 1929.

Career

Zamora became an assistant professor of organic chemistry in UST in 1901, rising to the position of associate professor and then to full professor later on. He opened his own drugstore and laboratory at 928 Hidalgo Street in

Quiapo, Manila Quiapo () is a district of the city of Manila, in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Referred to as the "Old Downtown of Manila", Quiapo is home to the Quiapo Church, where the feast of the Black Nazarene is held with millions of p ...

in 1908. It was in this laboratory where he would develop the ''tiki-tiki'' formula in 1909. He got an offer from

Parke-Davis Parke-Davis is a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Although Parke, Davis & Co. is no longer an independent corporation, it was once America's oldest and largest drug maker, and played an important role in medical history. In 1970 ...

in New York City for patent rights but he refused. In the 1930s, Zamora was also formulating and selling other medications such as: * ''Neuro-vitol'' - medicine for

neurasthenia Neurasthenia (from the Ancient Greek νεῦρον ''neuron'' "nerve" and ἀσθενής ''asthenés'' "weak") is a term that was first used at least as early as 1829 for a mechanical weakness of the nerves and became a major diagnosis in North A ...

, insomnia,

headache Headache is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches. Headaches can occur as a result ...

, and general debility * ''Fosfatado Zamora jarabe yodo-tonico'' () - a phosphated iodine

tonic syrup Tonic water (or Indian tonic water) is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is dissolved. Originally used as a prophylactic against malaria, tonic water usually has a significantly lower quinine content and is consumed for its distinctive ...

for weakness,

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including art ...

, anemia, and tuberculosis * ''Castoria con tiki-tiki'' () - a formulation of ''tiki-tiki'' with castoria for constipation among children

Research works

* "Materia Farmaceutica Animal y Mineral" (1891-1892) * Materia Farmaceutica Animal Vegetal" (1893-1894) * "Estudio Farmacologico de la Areca Cateru y Determinacion de Uno o Varios de sus Alkaloides" * "Purificacion de mil Granos del Acido Sulfurico del Comercio"

Medicinal cures

* vino ye * Vino yodo-tanico fosfatado Zamora * Vino estimulante nutritivo * Vino estimulante nutrivino con tiki-tiki Zamora * Gonorrema Zamora * Lustora * Alis galis * Mil flores pomade * Elixir digestive estomacal

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zamora, Manuel A. Filipino chemists 20th-century Filipino scientists 1870 births 1929 deaths People from Santa Cruz, Manila Academic staff of the University of Santo Tomas University of Santo Tomas alumni People from the Spanish East Indies