Development and Evaluation of Antibacterial Polyherbal Topical Gel

There is tremendous expansion in use of traditional medicines worldwide. About three quarters of the world population relies on plants and plant extracts for health care. The major challenges in acceptance of herbal medicines are quality, safety and scientific evidence in relation to their health claims. The topical gel formulations are more preferred due to various advantages such as easy to administer, rapid in action, less greasy and cost effective. Thus the present work focus on preparation of polyherbal gels using varied proportions of traditionally reported plants such as essential oil of Murraya koenigii, gel of Aloe vera, hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Tridax Procumbens. The prepared polyhebal gels evaluated for their antibacterial activity using agar cup method. The more effective antibacterial polyherbal gel evaluated for physical parameters such as pH, homogeneity, viscosity, extrudability, spreadability, stability. Polyherbal gel formulation F1, F2 and F3 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Polyherbal gel formulation F3 showed significant antibacterial activity compare to standard marketed formulations (betadine ointment). The prepared polyherbal gel formulation F3 has good homogeneity, spreadability, extrudability, stability without any irritation effect on skin.