Development And Characterization Of A Topical Film- Forming Gel Containing Polyherbal Extracts

Film forming gels have been used as tissue glues for the closing of operative wounds. The study was based on the development and evaluation of a topical film- forming gel containing polyherbal extracts for treatment of fungal infection. Extraction of the plant materials through cold maceration process using water and chloroform (1:1) solvent was done. After, preliminary phytochemical screening of herbal extract, the pre-formulation study was performed. Solvent casting method was utilized for the formulation of film-forming gel and evaluated for parameters i.e., physical appearance, pH estimation, drug content, spredability, drying time, film formation, film flexibility, film thickness, weight variation, folding endurance, in-vitro release study. The fresh leaves of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum sanctum were collected from the UP east and authenticated from the botanist at BSI, Allahabad with reference no. 2023-24/529. The dried leaves of Azadirachta indica, and Ocimum sanctum were rendered into fine powder and extracted using distilled water and chloroform (1:1) solvent system through cold maceration process. In HPTLC analysis, flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids were predicted. Herbal extracts were found as water insoluble. A. indica leaves extract and O. sanctum leaves extract showed the maximum absorption (λmax) at 257 nm and 320 nm, respectively. In results, the formulated polyherbal extracts based film forming gel showed the optimized film formation & flexibility, pH, film thickness, spreadability, and drying time in F1-F6. The drug content and in-vitro drug release was also found excellent when determined for different time intervals i.e., 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 18, 24 hours. In conclusion, among all the films forming gel, F5 was selected as optimized formulation. Highest in-vitro release was found to be 93.21 % (F5) in 24 hours, which demonstrates a better sustained release formulation