Formulation and Evaluation of Polyherbal Gel

Abstract

Polyherbal gels, topical formulations incorporating multiple herbs, offer a promising approach to achieving diverse therapeutic effects, particularly for pain relief. Herbal remedies are increasingly favored due to the perception of greater safety and fewer side effects compared to synthetic drugs, increasing market demand for natural formulations. Medicinal plants play a crucial role in developing treatments for pain and inflammation; however, conventional analgesic drugs often present undesirable side effects. This necessitates the search for novel analgesics with reduced or absent adverse reactions. This study focused on formulating and evaluating a polyherbal analgesic gel. The analgesic gel was prepared using ethanolic extracts of Vitex negundo leaves, Azadirachta indica leaves and Aloe vera gel. The formulation included excipients such as carbopol 934, propylene glycol, peppermint oil, triethanolamine, propyl paraben, methyl paraben, and distilled water. Formulations were created with varying extract concentrations. The resulting gel was evaluated for color, odor, appearance, feel, pH, spreadability, washability, and skin irritancy. The prepared gel met the desired criteria for a topical formulation. The study concludes that this herbal analgesic gel formulation demonstrates significant potential, exhibiting satisfactory topical formulation characteristics, ease of use, and minimal skin irritation.