FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF A TURMERIC– AND CLOVEBASED HERBAL ANALGESIC BALM FOR TOPICAL MANAGEMENT OF MINOR LOCALISED PAIN AND INFLAMMATION

Abstract— Topical analgesic balms deliver counter-irritant and anti-inflammatory agents directly tothe site of pain, avoiding first-pass metabolism and the gastrointestinal burden of oral non-steroidalanti-inflammatory drugs. Conventional balms rely on methyl salicylate and synthetic analgesics,which can provoke irritation, burning and hypersensitivity on prolonged use. This study formulatedand evaluated a polyherbal analgesic balm built on turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract and clove(Syzygium aromaticum) extract as principal actives, with menthol crystals, camphor and peppermintoil as cooling and counter-irritant agents, beeswax as stiffening agent, virgin coconut oil as carrierand vitamin E oil as antioxidant. Three formulations (F1, F2, F3) were prepared by the fusionmethod in which beeswax and coconut oil were melted on a water bath, camphor and mentholdissolved in the molten base, the herbal extracts incorporated with continuous stirring, and the heatsensitive peppermint and vitamin E oils added during cooling before filling into clean, dry air-tightmetal containers. The formulations differed in the quantities of turmeric extract (0.4–1.0 g), cloveextract (0.3–0.5 mL), beeswax (2.0–4.0 g), menthol (0.4–0.5 g), camphor (0.3–0.5 g), peppermint oil(0.30–0.40 mL), coconut oil (3.0–6.55 mL) and vitamin E oil (0.20–0.30 mL). All three batches weresmooth, homogeneous, yellow to brownish-yellow semi-solids with a characteristic camphorousodour and no grittiness or phase separation. pH measured on a 1:10 aqueous dispersion with acalibrated digital meter ranged from 5.0 to 6.5, within the physiological range of the skin surface.Spreadability ranged from 6.9 to 7.2 g·cm/sec and capillary melting points from 45 °C to 65 °C. Theformulations retained appearance, consistency and aroma at 25 °C, hardened reversibly at 4 °C, andshowed minor softening with a slight surface oil layer at 40–45 °C without phase separation ordegradation. A 24-hour human forearm patch test with follow-up at 24–48 hours produced noerythema, oedema, itching or rash in any batch, and all formulations were readily washable withlukewarm water without a greasy residue. On the combined physicochemical, thermal anddermatological evidence, F1 is identified as the most promising formulation, with F2 the morethermally robust alternative. Analgesic efficacy was not measured in this study and remains to beestablished.