Development and Evaluation of Antifungal Novel Polyherbal Cream using Eucalyptus globulus and Ocimum tenuiflorum
Keywords:
perties, Eucalyptus globulus, Ocimum tenuiflorum, phytochemical pro, antimicrobial activity, terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, formulation cream, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, organoleptic features, synergisticAbstract
This study evaluates the phytochemical properties, organoleptic features, and antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus globulus and Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), along with a formulation cream containing both oils. Phytochemical tests revealed that Ocimum tenuiflorum contained alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, while Eucalyptus globulus lacked alkaloids and flavonoids but contained terpenoids and saponins in both species. The formulation cream exhibited desirable organoleptic features such as a smooth texture, easy application, and non-irritancy, with a pH of 5.83. Antimicrobial activity was assessed through zones of inhibition against Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Eucalyptus globulus showed the highest activity against E. coli (22 mm), while the combination of both oils exhibited enhanced antifungal activity. The cream formulation displayed moderate antimicrobial activity, with zones of inhibition of 20 mm against E. coli and 18 mm against Candida albicans. These findings suggest that both oils have significant antimicrobial potential, with the cream formulation serving as a promising candidate for topical applications in skincare
Downloads
Metrics
References
Tzellos TG, Klagas I, Vahtsevanos K, Triaridis S, Printza A, Kyrgidis A, et al. Extrinsic ageing in the human skin is associated with alterations in the expression of hyaluronic acid and its metabolizing enzymes. Experimental Dermatology. 2009;18:1028-1035.
Anonymous. British Pharmacopoeia. Department of Health & Social Services for Northern Ireland. 1999;2:1583.
Ansel HC, Popovich NG, Allen LV. Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems. 6th ed. New Delhi: B.I. Waverly Pvt. Ltd.; c1995, 240-245.
Thirumurugan K, Shihabudeen MS, Hansi PD. Antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysis of selected Indian folk medicinal plants. Steroids. 2010;1(7):430-434.
Tayade JA, Patil AV. Polyherbal formulation. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference and Exhibition on Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry & Natural Products. 2015;3(6):137.
Das T, Debnath J, Bipulnath, Dash S. Formulation and evaluation of an herbal cream for wound healing activity. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2014;6(suppl 2):693-697.
Pal A, Soni M, Patidar K. Formulation and evaluation of poly herbal cream. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biological Archives. 2014;5(4):67- 71.
Kokate, C.K. Ed. Practical Pharmacognosy, 4th Edn., Vallabh Prakashan: 112,120, (1994).
Zimmermann, E., Günnewich, N., Zimmermann, C., Petrini, O., Diaz-Miyar, J., & FragosoCorti, C. (2025). In vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity of a skin ointment and its active pharmaceutical ingredients larch turpentine, turpentine oil, and eucalyptus oil. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 1-14.:
El-Sakhawy, M. A., Soliman, G. A., El-Sheikh, H. H., & Ganaie, M. A. (2023). Anticandidal effect of Eucalyptus oil and three isolated compounds on cutaneous wound healing in rats. European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences, 27(1).
Ankush Sharma, Bharat Prasar. Formulation and Evaluation of herbal cosmetic cream to produce multipurpose effect on skin. Res. J. Topical and Cosmetic Sci. 4(1): Jan. –June 2013 page 1-4.
Ogidi, C. O., Ojo, A. E., Ajayi-Moses, O. B., Aladejana, O. M., Thonda, O. A., & Akinyele, B. J. (2021). Synergistic antifungal evaluation of over-the-counter antifungal creams with turmeric essential oil or Aloe vera gel against pathogenic fungi. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 21, 1-12.
Antifungal properties of essential oils and their compounds for application in skin fungal infections: Conventional and nonconventional approaches. Molecules, 26(4), 1093.
Nazzaro, F., Fratianni, F., Coppola, R., & De Feo, V. (2017). Essential oils and antifungal activity. Pharmaceuticals, 10(4), 86.
Indian Journal of Pharmacology 36(2):p 93-94, Mar–Apr 2004.
Barbosa, Luiz Claudio Almeida, Claudinei Andrade Filomeno, and Robson Ricardo
Teixeira. "Chemical variability and biological activities of Eucalyptus spp. essential
oils." Molecules 21.12 (2016): 1671.
Singh, S., Zaidi, S. Y., & Maurya, S. (2022). Formulation and evaluation of multipurpose herbal cream. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 11, 798-805.
Kumar, R., Saha, P., Lokare, P., Datta, K., Selvakumar, P., & Chourasia, A. (2022).
A systemic review of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi): Morphological characteristics, phytoconstituents and therapeutic applications. International Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 9(2), 221-226.
Pooja, A. R. O. R. A., Arun, N., & Maninder, K. (2013). Screening of plant essential oils for antifungal activity against Malassezia furfur. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 5(2), 37-39.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
