Preparation and Evaluation of Aloe-Vera Hydro-Gel containing Anti-Biotic

Prasanthi*, V. Padmaja¹, Ch. Supriya²

Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Atmakur, Mangalagiri, Guntur, District - 522503

*Corresponding Author E-mail: daveprasanthi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

The main aim of present work is to prepare and evaluate the wound healing effect of Terramycin To screen the wound healing effect of the formulated gel on the animals containing Aloe vera hydro gel and evaluate physical and microbial parameters for the formulated gel. Two gram formulations were weighed (A1, A2, A3 and A4) accurately and kept in a desiccators containing 50gm anhydrous calcium chloride. After three days, the formulations were weighed. Percentage loss is Percentage moisture loss is 1gm. The relative density of the formulation or weight/ml of the formulation was determined by taking the weight in gm of 10ml formulation and 10ml distilled water using RD bottle. Viscosity is an important feature to determine the resistance of flow of gel formulation so that it can spread on the skin properly. It was determined with the help of viscometer using 2 number spindles. pH of the formulation was determined by using pH meter. In this method, electrode was washed with double distilled water, dried with the help of tissue paper and then dipped in 20ml gel formulation. Nutrient agar media was used in microbial growth study. In this method the blank and sample (n=3) petriplates were used and the gel samples were aseptically transferred on to the sample plates in a cross pattern. The microbial growth was observed daily for 14 days.

KEYWORDS: Terramycin, formulated gel, aloe-vera, anti-biotic, pH.

INTRODUCTION:

The use of natural products in the prevention and treatment has increased recently and could be of benefit to low socioeconomic level in urban and rural communities^[1]. The plant has stiff grey-green lance-shaped leaves containing clear gel in a central mucilaginous pulp. Benefits associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides contained in the gel of the leaves^[2]. Plant extracts represent a continuous effort to find new compound against pathogens. Approximately 20% of the plants found in the world have been submitted to pharmacological or biological test, and a substantial number of new antibiotics introduced on the market are obtained from natural or semi synthetic resources^[3].

The genus Aloe belonging to family liliaceae is a succulent herb of 80 - 100 cm in height which matures in 4 - 6 years and survives for nearly 50 years under favorable conditions. Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. syn. Aloe barbadensis Miller, is most biologically active among 400 species^[4-6]. According to World Health Organisation, medicinal plants would be the best source for obtaining a variety of drugs^[7].

Aloe vera is a hardy, perennial, tropical, drought-resistant, succulent plant belonging to the Liliaceae family which, historically has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes. It has a vast traditional role in indigenous system of medicine like ayurveda, siddha, unani and homeopathy. Clinical evaluations have revealed that the pharmacological active ingredients are concentrated in both the gel and rind of the Aloe vera leaves. Aloe vera is a stem less or very short-stemmed plant, spreading by offsets. Mature plants can be grown as tall as four feet with average height around 26-28 inches. Each plant has 12 to 16 leaves usually and weighs up to 2-3kg on maturity. The plants can be harvested after every 6 to 8 weeks by removing 3-4 leaves per plant. It produces erect unbranched flowering stalks in the second year in winter season, which grows 90-150cm tall. It bears bright yellow and orange flowers, which are arranged in auxiliary spike^[9,10]. It bears thick fleshy leaves in rosette, which gives it a distinct appearance. The leaves are green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on the upper and lower stem surfaces^[11]. The margin of the leaf is serrated and has small white teeth. The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to 90cm height, each flower pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla 2–3cm long^[11]. Like other Aloe species, Aloe vera forms arbuscularmycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allows better access of the plant to mineral nutrients in soil^[12] .

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Aloe vera pulp was obtained from cultivated aloe vera. All other ingredients like acacia, HPMC, carbopol 934, glycerine, albumin, ascorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, etc were purchased from local market of CDH, India and Himedia, India. Double distilled water was used throughout the study.

Preparation aloe vera hydro gel:

Preparation of aloe vera hydro gel An aloe vera gel is converted into liquid form by heating at a low temperature for two hours. It is necessary that it should be heated at a low temperature in order to retain thermo sensitive ingredients present in it. Tartaric acid is added to the aloe vera concentrate to adjust the pH within the range from 5.5 to 6.0. In separate container, the hydrogel forming polymers were dissolved in small amount of double distilled water in various proportions as shown in Table no.1, and then remaining ingredients i.e. glycerin, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate were added. Now, aloe vera liquid extract and antibiotic terramycinwas added to it and make up the volume up to 100 ml. The pH of this gel preparation was maintained 6±0.4 and stored in a well closed container.

Table 1: Composition of aloe vera hydro gel formulations A1 to A4

Ingredients	A1	A2	A3	A4
Aloe vera ml	75	75	75	75
Acacia gm	0.5	0.375	0.75	0.375
HPMC gm	0.5	0.5	0.375	0.375
Carbopol	0.5	0.375	0.375	0.75
Glycerine	5	5	5	5
Ascorbic acid	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5
Tartaric acid	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Potassium sorbate	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Sodium benzoate	100	100	100	100

Table 2: Evaluation data of aloe vera hydro gel formulation A1 to A2

Evaluation Parameters	A1	A2	A3	A4
Viscosity	1168	1149	1098	1184
Transpertency	Translucent	Translucent	Translucent	Translucent
Smoothness/ Roughness	Smooth	Smooth	Smooth	Smooth
Density	10.48	10.46	10.52	10.47
% Moisture Loss	95.73	95.82	95.81	95.86
Ph	6.3	6.4	6.3	6.2
Microbial Growth	No Growth	No Growth	No Growth	No Growth

Experimental Animals:

Female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 150-250gm were obtained from the central animal house of SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar, Andhra Pradesh and housed under standard conditions of temperature, 12 hour light/dark cycle and fedwith standard pellet diet and water ad libitum.These experimental rats were kept in polypropylene cages provided with paddy husk bedding and were acclimatized for a week under the aforesaid housing, feeding and other ménage mental conditions. The experimental protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee10/IAEC/NCPA/B.Pharm/2016-17.

Drugs:

Aloe veragel (diluted with demineralised water) used in this study were gifted by Bhaskara biotech (Hyderabad, India).

Creation of wound:

The animals were anaesthetized using ether anesthesia. The anesthetized animals were secured to the operation table in the natural position. The fur of the dorsum of each animal was shaved and wound area was created.Ethanol (70%) was applied as an antiseptic for the shaved region before the wound creation. An impression was made on the dorsal interscapular region 5mm away from the ears using a circular colored rubber stamp of 21mm diameters as described by Morton and Malone11. Full thickness skin from the demarcated area was excised including panniculuscarnosusto get a wound area of approximately 2cm. The wound was blotted with a cotton swab soaked innormal saline. The treatment included topical application Aloe veragelcompared with untreated group. Treatments were continued until complete closure of the wound had occurred.

Experimental Protocol:

After wound creation experimental animals were randomly divided into two groups: group I (n=2) were treated with Aloe-vera gel and group II (n=2) rats were treated topically with Aloe vera gel containing antibiotic. These animals were used for studying progressive changes in morphology of wound.

Assessment of wound healing:

The physical attributes of wound healing namely, wound closure and scar features are studied by tracing the raw wound area on tracing paper on the days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Wound area was calculated by using measuring scale and the values were recorded. The degree of wound healing was estimated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The aloe vera hydro gel was evaluated as follows

(i) Percentage Moisture Content:

Percentage moisture loss from the formulations were determined by the method reported by Deviet al. Two gram formulations were weighed(A1,A2,A3and A4) accurately and kept in a desiccators containing 50gm anhydrous calcium chloride. After three days, the formulations were weighed. The percentage moisture loss was calculated using the formula as follows:Percentage moisture loss = intial weight – final weight/final weight x100 the Percentage moisture loss = 1gm.

(ii) Transparency, smoothness and weight on drying:

The 5ml gel formulation taken in the 10ml test tube and visually checked for its transparency. The smoothness of the gel formulation was tested by rubbing between the fingers and observes whether the gel is smooth, clumped, homogenous or rough. The relative density of the formulation or weight/ml of the formulation was determined by taking the weight in gm of 10ml formulation and 10ml distilled water using RD bottle.

(iii) Viscosity pH and microbial growth:

Viscosity is an important feature to determine the resistance of flow of gel formulation so that it can spread on the skin properly. It was determined with the help of viscometer (Brookfield) using 2 number spindles. pH of the formulation was determined by using pH meter (Elico). In this method, electrode was washed with double distilled water, dried with the help of tissue paper and then dipped in 20ml gel formulation. The average pH (n=3) of the gel formulations were recorded at ambient condition. Nutrient agar media was used in microbial growth study. In this method the blank and sample (n=3) petriplates were used and the gel samples were aseptically transferred on to the sample plates in a cross pattern. The microbial growth was observed daily for 14 days.

iv) Assessment of wound healing:

CONCLUSION:

After wound creation experimental animals were randomly divided into two groups: group I (n=2) were treated with Aloe-vera gel and group II (n=2) rats were treated topically with Aloe vera gel containing antibiotic. In these the Aloe vera containing antibiotic shows activity within 5 days and the aloe vera gel shows activity in 10 days.Finally formulated aloe vera hydro gel was screaned on experimental animals .

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The authors gratefully acknowledge the authorities of the Nirmala college of pharmacy, Atmakuru, Mangalagiri. Provided the necessary animal house facilities and required instruments and drug materials to carry out the research work successfully.

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Received on 14.03.2019 Modified on 16.04.2019

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2020; 13(4): 1961-1964.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2020.00353.4