FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL SCAR CREAM CONTAINING ALLIUM CEPA EXTRACT AND VITAMIN E

Scars are the natural end point of dermal wound healing, but visible scars from acne, injury or surgery carry a cosmetic and psychosocial burden. Onion (Allium cepa) bulb extract and vitamin E are widely used topical anti-scar agents. The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate an oil-in-water (O/W) herbal scar cream containing Allium cepa extract and vitamin E for acne scars, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, stretch marks and flat scars. A 100 g batch was prepared by the fusion method using onion bulb extract (3 mL), stearic acid (5 g), cetyl alcohol (3 g), liquid paraffin, vitamin E (1 capsule), triethanolamine (1 g), methylparaben (0.2 g), propylparaben (0.1 g) and distilled water (79.7 mL). The oil and aqueous phases were heated separately to 70 °C and emulsified under continuous stirring; vitamin E was added to the oil phase off heat and the onion extract under low heat during cooling. The cream was evaluated for colour, odour, homogeneity, consistency, pH, spreadability, washability, skin compatibility and physical stability. A white, smooth, homogeneous cream was obtained with good consistency and spreadability, a pH within the skin-compatible range, good washability and no undesirable physical changes during the evaluation period. The formulation is a simple, low-cost and cosmetically acceptable vehicle for topical onion extract. Standardisation of the extract, long-term stability and microbial testing, and controlled clinical studies are required to establish its anti-scar efficacy.