Development and Evaluation of Herbal Ointment Formulation from the Plant Calotropis Gigantea Linn

Abstract

This study focuses on the formulation and evaluation of a herbal wound healing ointment using the leaf extract of Calotropis gigantea, a medicinal plant widely used in traditional systems of medicine. The increasing interest in herbal therapeutics due to their affordability, accessibility, and minimal side effects has encouraged the development of plant-based formulations for wound management. The leaves of Calotropis gigantea were collected, authenticated, shade-dried, and powdered, followed by extraction using the cold maceration method with methanol as the solvent. The obtained extract, rich in bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides, was incorporated into an ointment base prepared using ingredients like wool fat, cetostearyl alcohol, hard paraffin, and white soft paraffin through the trituration method. The pH (6.7) was found to be compatible with skin, and the formulation exhibited good spreadability and antimicrobial activity without any signs of microbial contamination. The findings suggest that the Calotropis gigantea herbal ointment possesses significant wound healing potential and meets the required evaluation standards. Therefore, it can be considered a safe, effective, and economical alternative for wound care. Further studies, including in vivo evaluations, are recommended to validate its therapeutic efficacy and support its large-scale application.