Formulation and evaluation of a polyherbal ointment for treatment of acne

Abstract

Objective: Plants represent principle means of therapy for various types of ailments. Investigations on medicinal plants as cosmetics have provided important advances for the therapeutic approach to several skin diseases. Certain herbal drugs are formulated in the form of ointment and are used topically for several purposes, e.g. as protectants, antiseptics, emollients, antipruritic, keratolytics and astringents. : Literature revealed that the crude drugs Materials and Methods Liquorice, Turmeric and have protective effect on skin and specifically used to treat acne. In the Kleinia grandiflora present work we formulated a polyherbal ointment in different proportions by levigation method using paraffin ointment as the base. The formulations were then evaluated for their physicochemical parameters and their antibacterial activity was compared with a standard skin care ointment Soframycin. Physicochemical parameters like Results: colour, odour and consistency were observed and the pH of all the formulations lies in the normal pH range of the human skin (6.5 ± 0.3) indicating better chemical compatibility of ointments with skin. The anti bacterial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion method for the plant extracts and formulated ointment separately and compared with a standard antibiotic, Amikacin and also with Soframycin ointment. The results of the physical evaluation Conclusion: of ointment prepared with the extracts of liquorice, turmeric and kleinia indicate the suitability of method for the production of ointments. All three formulations are stable for 60 days even after storing at 20 C, 25 C, and 30 C. Among 0 0 0 all the formulations F1, F2 and F3 showed equivalent activity with that of Soframycin.