FORMULATION AND EVOLUTION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CREAM USING CUCUMIS STATIBUS AND LUFFA CYLINDRICA

Inflammation is a normal physiological defense process triggered by tissue damage, infection, or harmful stimulus. However, excessive or chronic inflammation causes chronic illness and retards wound healing. Although synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs are effective in treatment but, chronic treatment with such drugs may lead to harmful side effects like damage to the gastrointestinal tract, kidney toxicity and hypersensitivity reaction of skin. Thus, demand of alternative medicines that is safer and cost effective for long term treatment is developing. In the present study we formulated a cream of anti-inflammatory herbal extract with extract of Cucumis sativus (cucumber) and Luffa cylindrica as ingredients. Cucumis sativus (cucumber) and Luffa cylindrica are rich in bioactive phytocompounds such as flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, triterpenoids, vitamin which has proven significant activity such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing. An oil in water cream was formulated with the combination of suitable pharmaceutics excipients and assessed for physical properties of the prepared formulation, washability and stability study at recommended storage condition, skin irritancy testing also performed. Physical characterization of the formulated product indicated that the cream has desirable consistency, uniform homogeneity, spread ability and extrudability with acceptable pH that is skin compatible.