Abstract:
Despite marvelous advances in the science and technology field, the significance of herbal
remedies is irrefutable. The plant Rumex acetosella has been traditionally used as a wound-healing
remedy for years. The objective of our study was to develop and evaluate a herbal product ensuring
its biomedical application. In the current study, the herbal ointments were formulated using the
pure and ethanolic extract of Rumex acetosella plant leaves. The ointment base was formulated
using hard paraffin, soft paraffin, cetostearyl alcohol, and parabens as preservatives through the
fusion method while the ointments were formulated by the incorporation of the drug into the base
using the levigation method. The formulated ointments were subjected to different stability
parameters such as physical appearance, temperature, pH, spreadability, LOD, washability, and
non-irritancy tests. Moreover, the ointments were screened for having anti-bacterial potential
against S.aureus and E.coli. All the formulations showed significant anti-bacterial efficacy against
both stains but the ethanolic formulations were found to be more stable than pure extract
formulations. All the formulations were acidic in nature, possessed notable spreadability, and less
LOD. The patch test revealed that the formulations were non-irritant as they didn’t cause any
allergic reaction or burning sensation to the skin. Among all the formulations, 7.5% w/w of
ethanolic extract was more stable under extreme temperatures i.e., 4°C, 25°C, 37°C and above
40°C with a stable pH of 4.8.
