Synthesis and Physiochemical Properties of Herbal Soaps Prepared by Neem Leaves Extract

Natural and sustainable alternatives are becoming more and more popular as people become more conscious of the negative impacts that synthetic chemicals have on their health and the environment. Soaps are prepared by the saponification process, which is, reacting the oil which contains triglycerides with Caustic soda (NaOH). In the present work we prepared total five herbal soaps by using Neem leaves extract with 5 different types of oils (Coconut, Olive, Castor, Mustard and Sunflower). In this process turmeric, orange peel powder and coffee powder used as a colouring agent and Lemon grass leaves extract as a flavouring agent. The current study aims to investigate the physio-chemical and antimicrobial properties of synthesized natural soaps. The properties such as pH, moisture content, total fatty matter, total alkali, free alkali, and chloride content are measured. The results of the selected physical and chemical properties of this study show that the moisture content of the neem coconut soap has 6.20% with 9.2 pH value, 74.20% total fatty matter, 1.45 %total alkali and 0.13% free caustic alkali. The results imply that herbal neem coconut and olive soap is suitable for human skin and can be a therapeutic alternative to skin problems and soap with neem mustard and neem Sunflower oil is of poor quality.