CROWNED BY NATURE: DEVELOPMENT OF A TERMINALIA TOMENTOSA–BASED HERBAL SHAMPOO

Herbal medicines are widely used as alternatives to synthetic drugs because they are generally perceived to be safer and better tolerated, especially for long-term use. In topical and cosmetic formulations, plant-derived ingredients obtained from seeds, roots, leaves, bark, and flowers are employed for both therapeutic and aesthetic benefits. Within this context, herbal shampoos have gained importance as substitutes for conventional chemical-based cleansing products that often rely on synthetic surfactants. Terminalia tomentosa, a medicinal plant reported to possess significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, was selected as the principal herbal constituent in the present work. A shampoo formulation containing Terminalia tomentosa extract was developed and evaluated for its physicochemical characteristics, appearance test, pH measurement, solid content, foam volume and stability, dirt dispersion test and antimicrobial test. The overall objective of the study was to formulate and characterize an herbal antimicrobial shampoo incorporating Terminalia tomentosa that is suitable for routine use while maintaining acceptable safety and performance profiles.[1]