Formulation and Preliminary Evaluation of Herbal Toothpaste Containing Neem and Babool

Herbal oral-care products have attracted interest because medicinal plants have a long history of use in traditional dental hygiene. This project describes the preparation and preliminary evaluation of a toothpaste containing neem (Azadirachta indica) and babool (Acacia nilotica) extracts, with honey as a supporting ingredient. Calcium carbonate was used as an abrasive, glycerin or sorbitol as a humectant, xanthan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as a thickener, and flavouring oils to improve acceptability. The extracts were prepared by aqueous maceration and incorporated into a nominal 60 g toothpaste base. The project reports a smooth, homogeneous, light greenish-brown product with a pleasant herbal odour, moderate foaming and a pH of approximately 6.8–7.5. It also describes short-term stability observations and an agar-diffusion test against oral bacteria. However, numerical pH readings, foam volume, stability measurements and antimicrobial inhibition-zone values were not supplied. The findings should therefore be considered descriptive and preliminary, not proof of clinical effectiveness or safety. Further work should include validated quality tests, appropriate controls, reproducible antimicrobial assays, abrasivity assessment and microbiological stability testing. This formulation provides a starting point for research into neem- and babool-based oral-care products, but cannot yet be recommended as a substitute for clinically validated toothpaste, particularly fluoride toothpaste for caries prevention. Keywords: herbal toothpaste; Azadirachta indica; Acacia nilotica; neem; babool; oral hygiene; formulation evaluation