FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL ANTIMICROBIAL GEL CONTAINING APRAJITA CLITORIA TERNATEA L.

Skin infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms remain a major healthcare concern, and the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance has highlighted the need for safer and more effective topical therapies. Herbal medicines have gained considerable attention because of their broad therapeutic potential, low toxicity, and improved patient acceptability. The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate a herbal antimicrobial gel containing the ethanolic extract of Clitoria ternatea L. (Aprajita). Fresh flowers of Clitoria ternatea were collected, authenticated, shade-dried, powdered, and extracted using ethanol. The extract was incorporated into a Carbopol-based gel using suitable excipients to obtain a stable topical formulation. The prepared gel was evaluated for its physicochemical properties, including appearance, homogeneity, pH, viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, washability, and stability. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against selected pathogenic microorganisms using a standard microbiological method. The formulated gel exhibited acceptable physical characteristics, good consistency, suitable pH for topical application, satisfactory spreadability, and excellent stability throughout the study period. The formulation demonstrated promising antimicrobial activity, indicating the presence of bioactive phytoconstituents in the ethanolic extract of Clitoria ternatea. These findings suggest that the developed herbal gel has potential as a safe and effective topical antimicrobial formulation for the management of superficial skin infections. Further preclinical and clinical investigations are recommended to establish its therapeutic efficacy and long-term safety.