Enhancing Topical Anti-Inflammatory Activity with Psidium guajava L. and Moringa oleifera

The main goal of this research was to formulate and assess herbal topical cream incorporating Psidium guajava and Moringa oleifera extracts to explore their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and skin-protective properties. Three cream formulations (F1, F2, and F3) were prepared by varying the concentrations of the plant extracts while keeping other ingredients constant. The formulations were created through emulsification, where the oil phase (stearic acid, emulsifying wax, propylene glycol, and propyl paraben) and aqueous phase (plant extracts, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, and sodium stearate) were combined at 70°C before cooling and adding perfume. The prepared formulations were assessed for the parameters such as pH, physical stability, spreadability, viscosity, stability testing, antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory efficacy and skin irritation potential. All formulations demonstrated physical stability, with F2 providing an optimal balance of spreadability, viscosity. Antimicrobial activity increased with higher extract concentrations, with F3 exhibiting the largest inhibition zones against bacterial strains. The antiinflammatory activity, assessed by protein denaturation inhibition and heat-induced hemolysis assays, showed a dosedependent trend. F3 exhibited the highest inhibition rates (74.5% for protein denaturation and 68.9% for heat-induced hemolysis), followed by F2 and F1. The study confirmed that incorporating Psidium guajava and Moringa oleifera extracts in cream formulations enhances their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, providing both cosmetic and therapeutic benefits. These findings support further optimization and clinical exploration for skincare applications.