FORMULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL GEL OF BALIOSPERMUM MONTANUM
Neha Saxena, Gyan Singh, Vivek Gupta
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to formulate, develop, and evaluate a herbal gel containing hydroalcoholic extract of Baliospermum montanum. The extract was prepared and showed a percentage yield of 12.5% (w/w). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of important bioactive constituents such as alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, proteins, carbohydrates, and diterpenes. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be 0.96 mg/100 mg and 0.82 mg/100 mg, respectively. Six different gel formulations (HG1–HG6) were prepared using Carbopol 940 as a gelling agent. All formulations exhibited acceptable physical properties including good homogeneity, smooth texture, and absence of clogging. The pH of formulations was found to be within the suitable range for skin application. Among all formulations, HG5 showed optimum characteristics with appropriate viscosity, spreadability, and highest flavonoid content. The in-vitro drug release study of HG5 demonstrated a sustained release pattern with 98.6% drug release within 120 minutes. The antimicrobial activity of the optimized formulation showed significant inhibitory effects against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, although slightly lower than standard drugs. The results suggest that the formulated herbal gel possesses good physicochemical properties and promising antimicrobial activity, indicating its potential as an effective topical therapeutic agent.
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