Formulation and evaluation of antiseptic polyherbal ointment

Abstract

Herbal therapy and herbal drugs predominates in traditional medicine as well as in alternative medicine practiced in the developed world. Among the various indications where traditional herbal medicines are used, skin and skin related disorders is ranked top. Thus, the main objective of the present study is to formulate and evaluate a poly herbal ointment with antiseptic activity.  Ointments were formulated using methanolic extracts (by continuous hot percolation-soxhletation) of Azadirachta indica, Chromolaena odorata,Mimosa pudica,Samadera indica and were evaluated for its physicochemical property, antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Ointments were prepared using different concentrations of the extracts such as 2%, 4%, 6% w/w by fusion method using emulsifying ointment as base. Formulations were then tested for its physicochemical properties like loss of drying, pH, spreadability, extrudability and diffusion study and gave satisfactory results. The prepared formulations were also stable at 4ºC, 25ºC and 37ºC. Further, polyherbal formulations were evaluated for its anti-bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., by agar diffusion method by using Betadine (5%w/w) as the standard. All the formulations showed predominant activity against selected species. Formulations were also evaluated for anti-oxidant activity through reducing power assay, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide scavenging method. The results showed that the scavenging activity of the formulations increased with increase in concentration and this is due to the presence of flavanoids and tannins. The presence of both antibacterial and antioxidant activity reveals that the prepared ointment can also be used for wound healing. Hence an attempt was made to formulate a polyherbal ointment, and to evaluate for its physical parameter, in-vitro anti-oxidant activity and to compare its antibacterial activity with a marketed formulation (5% w/w Betadine).Overall result of this study reveals that this is an effective polyherbal antiseptic ointment.