A Review: A Polyherbal Ointment

Abstract

The current work employs fruit peel extracts of Citrus sinensis (orange), Punica granatum (pomegranate), and Musa paradisiaca (banana) to formulate and evaluate Polyherbal ointment and hydrogel. Bioactive components with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing qualities, like as flavonoids, tannins, and polyphenols, are abundant in these peels. After being extracted using maceration, the extracts were added to topical preparations. Their stability, compatibility, and therapeutic potential were validated by a number of biological and physical analyses. Both the hydrogel and the ointment showed notable anti-inflammatory action, suggesting that they may be used as natural and affordable substitutes for topical medication delivery.

Introduction

Interest in traditional herbal medicines, particularly Polyherbal ointments—topical blends of multiple herbal extracts—has grown due to their synergistic therapeutic effects like anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, wound healing, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. These ointments offer safer, more effective alternatives to synthetic drugs with fewer side effects. Traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, and Chinese medicine have long used herbal topical treatments for skin conditions including wounds, burns, and infections.

Polyherbal ointments utilize diverse plant parts (roots, leaves, fruits, peels) rich in bioactive compounds like flavonoids and phenolics that reduce inflammation and promote healing. Common herbs include banana, orange, and pomegranate peels, neem, aloe vera, and turmeric. The choice of herbal ingredients, ointment base, and extraction method affects the ointment’s stability, spreadability, and efficacy.

Several studies confirm these formulations’ strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing activities. Fruit peel extracts, often agricultural waste, provide an eco-friendly, cost-effective raw material that supports sustainability. Polyherbal ointments have shown better safety and longer-lasting effects than synthetic alternatives in comparative studies.

Formulations typically combine fruit peel extracts with bases like petroleum jelly, beeswax, glycerin, and Carbopol 940 for ointments and hydrogels. Evaluations cover physical properties, drug content, microbial safety, and in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy, confirming their suitability for topical use.

Future prospects include advanced delivery systems (nanoformulations, transdermal patches) and wider clinical validation. Challenges remain in standardization, regulatory approval, large-scale extraction, and ensuring batch consistency. Addressing these will support the commercialization of safe, effective, and sustainable herbal topical treatments.

Conclusion

The study effectively illustrated how to formulate and assess a Polyherbal ointment and hydrogel utilising extracts from banana, pomegranate, and orange peels. Both formulations demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory action and favorable physicochemical characteristics, making them viable options for topical natural treatment. In addition to encouraging sustainable pharmaceutical practices, the use of fruit peel waste in medicinal goods gives value to underutilized resources. This Polyherbal method offers a more secure and efficient substitute for manufactured medications. Such compositions have the potential to transform herbal skincare and inflammation management treatments with more study and standardisation.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. Swaraj Sandeep Tamhane, Devang Shelke, Priyanka Kakade, Pooja Gaikwad, Nitin Gawai. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.