Rasool Bazigha Kadhim et al / IJRAP 2011, 2 (6) 1811-1813
ISSN 2229-3566
Research Article
www.ijrap.net
FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL HAND WASH FROM
MATRICARIA CHAMOMILLA FLOWERS EXTRACTS
Ali Heyam Saad1, Shehab Naglaa Gamil2, Rasool Bazigha Kadhim1* and Rana Samour1
1
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, Dubai Pharmacy College, Dubai, UAE
2
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt
Received on: 19/10/11 Revised on: 04/11/11 Accepted on: 20/04/11
*Corresponding author
Bazigha K. Abdul Rasool, PhD, Associate Prof. ,Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, Dubai Pharmacy College, Dubai, UAE
Email: bazigha_rasool@hotmail.com, bazigharasool@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Nasocomial infection has emerged as a critical issue in hospital care outcome, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. The hands of health care workers are the primary
routes of transmission of infection to patients. Hence, it brings up the use of antiseptic for hand washing purposes. Many of the antiseptic available in market are alcohol based
sanitizers which have some shortcomings or adverse effects. Their frequent use can lead to skin irritation. Chamomile is one of the most widely used and well-documented
medicinal plants in the world. This study aimed to formulate effective herbal hand wash using Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) flowers with emphasis on safety
and efficacy and to avoid the risk posed by synthetic antimicrobials. Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity against skin pathogens of the prepared herbal hand wash was
performed using disc diffusion method. Its efficacy was checked and compared with the commercial ones. Results revealed that chamomile soap formulation was more efficient
in reducing the number of organisms from hands than the commercial antiseptic soaps thus it can be used as an antiseptic soap with less or no side effects.
Keywords: Herbal hand wash, Formulation, Evaluation, Chamomile Extracts, Skin pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
INTRODUCTION
Skin being the most exposed part of our body requires protection
from skin pathogens. Nasocomial infection has emerged as a critical
issue in hospital care outcome, resulting in extended hospitalization
and substantial morbidity and mortality1. The hands of Health Care
Workers (HCWs) are the primary routes of transmission of
multidrug resistant pathogens and infection to patients. Hence, it
brings up the use of antiseptic for hand washing purposes2. Many of
the chemicals antiseptic are now available in market as alcohol
based sanitizers, cholorohexidine products, etc. These soaps or
solutions help reduce health care associated transmission of
contagious disease more effectively3 but they have some
shortcomings or adverse effects. Their frequent use can lead to skin
irritation and also resistance among pathogens4. Organisms such as
Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are some of
the causative agents of skin infections5. Some studies been
conducted had showed that resistance to chemical antiseptic have led
to outbreaks6, 7.
Historically, plants have provided a good source of antiinfective
agents. Plant based antimicrobials represent a vast untapped source
for medicines. They are effective in the treatment of infectious
diseases while simultaneously mitigating many of the side effects
that are often associated with synthetic antimicrobials. Plants
containing flavonoids and polypeptides used in traditional medicine
have been found to be active against a wide variety of
microorganisms8. Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) is
from the Asteraceae family and is the major source of blue oil and
flavonoids9, 10. It has been widely used in folk and traditional
medicines for its multi-therapeutic, cosmetic and nutritional values11,
12
.
Chamomile flowers contain essential oil 0.4-2% v/w13 which has
antibacterial and fungicidal action14, 15. In addition to that, flowers
contain more than 120 chemical constituents and have been
identified as secondary metabolites16 including 28 terpenoids, 36
flavonoids, and 52 additional compounds with potential
pharmacological activity17. Components, such as α-bisabolol and
cyclic ethers are fungistatic, whereas chamazulene and α-bisabolol
are antiseptics18. Chamazulene, α -bisabolol, flavonoids and
umbelliferone displayed antifungal properties against trichophyton
mentagrophytes and Candida albicans, all of them have the
strongest activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative
bacteria19.
Despite its widespread use as health care remedy and its in vitro
antibacterial and antifungal effectiveness against Staphylococcus
and Candida, no trial has been documented about its use as liquid
hand wash soap.
In the present context, Matricaria chamomilla had been selected in
preparing herbal hand wash. Chamomile flowers were extracted with
alcohol to assure maximum taking out of all the phytochemicals
which act on skin pathogens and ensure maximum antimicrobial
efficiency. Chamomile extract hand wash soap was then prepared,
screened against skin pathogens and checked for its efficacy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant collection
Samples of Matricaria chamomilla flowers were collected during
March-April (2011) from plants cultivated in Haj Saed Campus
garden, Muhaisnah-1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and verified in
the Department of Pharmacognosy at Dubai Pharmacy College,
UAE.
Preparation of plant extracts
Fresh flowers of the investigated plant (200 g) were mixed and
homogenized with ethanol 70%in a mixer, followed by exhaustive
maceration at room temperature with the 70% alcohol (2 liters x2)
then filtered. The combined alcoholic extract was evaporated under
reduced pressure. The residue free solvent (12.5 g) was suspended
in distilled water (40 ml) to be used for further study.
Preparation of chamomile hand wash soap
The herbal hand wash was prepared by adding 4ml of the suspended
water extract (1.25g /4 ml w/v) to 3 g of sodium lauryl sulphate
(SLS)20. The solution was made homogenous under room
temperature and used for the antibacterial screening. Blank soap was
prepared as per the previous procedure without herbal extract. The
candidate formula was compared to standard soaps commercially
available in UAE pharma market including: Savlon® (Novartis, UK)
and Huiji® (Huiji Biotechnology, China). The commercial herbal
soap contains green tea, aloe, wild chryeanthemum and lemon.
Antimicrobial assay
The pathogens were recovered from the hands of HCWs. Amongst
the isolated pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa were selected and identified and used for this study. The
International Journal of Research in Ayurveda & Pharmacy
Rasool Bazigha Kadhim et al / IJRAP 2011, 2 (6) 1811-1813
anti-microbial activity of the hand wash soaps was investigated by the spillage from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) onto the skin
the disc diffusion method21. Tested culture organisms used were around the anal and genital regions as well as on soles of the feet 26.
S.aureus, Ps.aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherikia coli and Table 3 and Fig.1 (a-d) represents growth reduction in bacterial flora
Candida albicans. Nutrient agar was used as a culture medium.
obtained after the use of chamomile herbal soap formulation,
The herbal hand wash soap was vigorously shaken for homogeneity. Savlon, commercial herbal soap and blank soap. Highest reduction
One mL portion of the soap solution was added to 20 mL of sterile was observed by chamomile herbal soap followed by commercial
molten culture media in Petri-dishes and allowed to set. Then a 0.1 herbal soap, Savlon and blank soap. The % of reduction shown by
ml of standard inoculum of each test organism was streaked on the chamomile herbal soap was 80.57%, while it was found to be to be
plates which were then incubated under the standard conditions. least in case of control blank soap (67.74%). The commercial herbal
Following incubation, plates were observed for the presence or antiseptic soaps showed more reduction than Savlon (68.29%). A
absence of microbial growth. In similar ways, discs of commercial percentage reduction in bacterial flora was calculated using the
antiseptic soaps and blank soap were prepared.
formula.
In vivo efficacy study
% Reduction= Control (cfu/ml) – Test (cfu/ml)
X 100 ……. (eq. 1)
Experimental design
Control (cfu/ml)
Four volunteer groups (n=4) were involved for in vivo efficacy study
of four different soaps (chamomile hand soap formulation, blank
soap, commercial standard soap, commercial herbal soap). The significant (p<0.05) antimicrobial activity of the prepared
in the water
Volunteers with damaged skin and those who were on antimicrobial formula can be attributed to the presence of tannins
27
extract.
Tannins
are
water
soluble
polyphenols
and
have been
therapy were excluded. Study was done after approval of ethical
reported
to
be
bacteriostatic
or
bactericidal
against
Staphylococcus
committee of the College. The protocol had been explained and the
aureus by acting on the membranes of the organisms28. The results
informed consents were obtained from the volunteers.
clearly showed that the natural antimicrobials in the prepared herbal
Procedure
A rinse wash method was adopted for this study. Total 40 palm soap were far more active than the synthetic antimicrobials used in
washes were taken for a single volunteer for a single soap. Control commercial antiseptic soap.
palm washes were taken by use of sterile water only. Rinse palm for CONCLUSION
10 seconds with small amount of tap water. Palm is completely In the present study, natural active constituents in chamomile extract
lathered with the desired soap for a specified time (1 min). Hand manifested superior inhibition against skin pathogens than synthetic
wash samples were collected in the sterile beakers under sterile antimicrobials present in the commercially available antiseptic
conditions. Temperature of sterile water was near to 40 °C for 30 soaps. Therefore, these compounds were extracted and incorporated
seconds and 75 mL water was used for a single hand wash. Further in soap bases in order to prepare superior antiseptic soap with less or
enumeration of bacterial flora is carried out by serially diluting and no side effects. Hence, a new way can be found to combat antibiotic
resistance of pathogenic organisms and provide safe and healthier
plating on media plates and incubating them at 37 °C for 18-24 hr22.
living through germfree hands, although the removal is not 100%,
Bacteriological study
23
Point inoculation method as mentioned by Miles and Mishra , was but a major number can be reduced with natural economic and safe
chamomile soap.
used for viable count of different bacterial flora.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Authors
are grateful for and would like to express gratitude to the
Preliminary antimicrobial sensitivity screening tests findings shown
Dean
of
Dubai Pharmacy College and Dubai Pharmacy College
in Table 1. Chamomile soap formulation proved to be beneficial and
undergraduate
students, Hamda J. Obaid and Nourhan A. Baroud for
had an excellent activity against all the tested organisms. A
their
support
in
lab work.
significant (p<0.05) result was obtained against S. aureus. Hence it
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Table 1 Preliminary Antimicrobial Activity of Matricaria chamomile
Test microorganisms
Antimicrobial activity
IZD (mm)± SD*
Staphylococcus aureus
19.5± 0.55**
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Bacillus subtilis
Escherikia coli
Candida albicans
12.2± 0.33
13.4± 1.00
10.2± 0.23
8.20± 0.66
*: Values calculated as means ± SD (n=3); **: Results are significant (p<0.05) and
IZD: Inhibition zone diameter.
Table 2: In Vitro Antimicrobial Evaluation of Chamomile Hand Wash Soap
Zone of Inhibition (mm)
Test organisms
Chamomile
Blank
Standard soap
soap
soap
+
+
Staphylococcus aureus
Pseudomonas
+
+
aeruginosa
-: indicates No inhibition zone or less than 7mm; +: presence of
microbial growth. Values are means of triplicates.
Fig 1: Effect on general transient bacterial microflora after use of: a) chamomile
herbal soap; b) blank soap; c) Savlon; d) commercial herbal soap
Table 3: Reduction in Hands’ Bacterial Flora
Bacterial flora reduction
Formulation
Control
Test
Reduction
(cfu/ml)
(cfu/ml)
(%)
28.05Í103
5.35Í103
81
Chamomile soap formulation
Blank soap
22.45Í103
7.5Í103
68
Commercial Herbal soap
18.4Í103
5.32Í103
72
Savlon
22.75Í103
7.3Í103
68
International Journal of Research in Ayurveda & Pharmacy