Formulation and Standardization of Anti-acne Herbal Foaming Face Wash using Curcuma longa along with Aloe vera, Rosa centifolia, and Citrus sinensis

Abstract

Objectives: Acne vulgaris is a very common skin disorder that peaks in teenagers, but many men and women between 20-40 years of age are also affected by the disorder. For the treatment of acne, herbal medications are considered safer than allopathic medicines as allopathic medicines are associated with side effects, such as contact allergy, local irritation, scaling, photosensitivity, itching, and redness of the skin, etc. The present research work was performed to check the effectiveness of foaming face wash formulation containing Curcuma longa along with herbals excipient Aloe vera, Rosa centifolia, and Citrus sinensis. Curcuma longa has been reported to contain active phytoconstituents having significant anti-microbial activity and being used locally for acne. Method: The plant materials Curcuma longa, Aloe vera, Rosa centifolia, and Citrus sinensis were authenticated, and their extracts have been prepared using Soxhlet Apparatus and the resulting essential oil was analyzed for its physical properties. The foaming face wash was then prepared by using the herbal extracts with excipients that were free from sulfates, parabens, silicone, and petroleum products. Two formulations, A1and A2, have been prepared and their physicochemical studies were performed. The presence and efficacy of Curcuma longa in the suppression of Propionibacterium acnes were assessed by analytical methods and anti-microbial techniques, respectively. Skin irritation studies were conducted using Wistar rats by the scoring method. Accelerated stability studies were also performed for 60 days. Result: The physicochemical properties were evaluated and found to be satisfactory. Analytical techniques like High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography, and Infra-Red spectral analysis confirmed the qualitative presence of Curcuminoid, which is a mixture of curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin (4-hydroxycinnamoyl-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl) methane), and Bis- demethoxycurcumin (bis-(4-hydroxy cinnamoyl) methane) in the sample. The antibacterial activity of developed face wash assessed against Propionibacterium acnes was more than that of Clindamycin (10μg/ml). Also, the developed formulation showed very high activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis concerning the activity of the standard clindamycin. The prepared formulation showed no sign of localized reactions, which were confirmed by a skin irritation study, indicating the formulation was safe and compatible with the skin. Conclusion: Based on our study, it could be stated that the formulation has antimicrobial activity and could be used safely on human skin.