Phytochemical Characterization and Evaluation of Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Anti- inflammatory Activities of Lobelia inflata in a Topical Herbal Formulation.

AbstractThe increasing prevalence of microbial infections and inflammatory skin disorders, along withgrowing antibiotic resistance, has prompted the search for effective plant-based therapeuticalternatives. Lobelia inflata, traditionally used for respiratory and inflammatory conditions,remains underexplored for topical applications. This study aimed to investigate thephytochemical profile and evaluate the antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatoryactivities of Lobelia inflata extract, followed by the development of herbal ointmentformulations. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of key bioactive compounds,including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and steroids. The extract exhibited significantantibacterial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus (18.4 ± 0.5 mm) and Bacillussubtilis (17.2 ± 0.6 mm), as well as antifungal efficacy against Candida albicans (15.3 ± 0.5 mm). Anti-inflammatory activity, assessed via the protein denaturation assay, showed a dose-dependent inhibition with 79.8 ± 1.1% at 500 μg/mL, comparable to the standard drug diclofenac. Among four formulated ointments (F1–F4), formulation F4 demonstrated the highestspreadability (6.8 ± 0.3 g·cm/s), optimal pH (6.6 ± 0.1), and physical stability, making it the mostsuitable for topical application. The findings validate the traditional claims of Lobelia inflata andsupport its potential in developing effective herbal formulations for skin infections andinflammation. Further in vivo and clinical investigations are recommended to establish itstherapeutic efficacy and safety profile.