European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF A POLYHERBAL MOUTHWASH AND ITS COMPARATIVE STUDIES WITH CHLORHEXIDINE

Uma Maheshwar Rao and *Sai Laxmi Mathukumalli

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Mouthwashes are antiseptic solutions intended to reduce the microbial load in the oral cavity with other uses like analgesic, anti-inflammatory or anti-fungal action, saliva substitutes to neutralize acid and keep the mouth moist in xerostomia (dry mouth). Wide applications of mouth washes include killing of bacterial plaque in cavities, gingivitis, and bad breath, controlling supra gingival plaque, after oral surgery procedures such as tooth extraction, bed ridden and in-patients, etc. However, medicated mouthwashes have limitations like taste disturbance, tooth staining, sensation of a dry mouth and worsening of halitosis with alcohol mouth washes, soreness, ulceration and redness if the person is allergic or sensitive to mouthwash ingredients. Therefore a poly herbal mouth wash has been formulated which has successfully overcome the above limitations. Materials and methods: volatile oils of various crude drugs are extracted by Clavengers apparatus after careful evaluation of their morphological and organoleptic evaluation. These volatile oils have been formulated into a polyherbal mouthwash and evaluated for pH, viscosity, Isothermal stress stability and antimicrobial activity. Results and discussion: The pH of the given formulation was determined by using pH meter and it was found to be 6.77. The viscosity was found to be 1.67. In palatability test the degree of palatability was rated as refreshing and palatable by the volunteers. Slightly acidic pH makes the formulation potently active against microbes and aesthetic cleaning. Viscosity is optimum for swishing and long stay in oral cavity. Antimicrobial activity was done using zone of inhibition on microbial cultured agar plates. The formulation with oils ratio 2:2:1 has shown 26 mm of zone of inhibition which is greater than that of chlorhexidine which was of 20 mm. The formulation of mouth wash was isothermally stable at 2:2:1 concentration of oils. Conclusion: mouth washes are an essential component of prescription both medically and aesthetically. Since medicated mouthwashes have several drawbacks such as ulceration, sensitivity reactions, dry mouth etc, our polyherbal mouth wash formulation forms an excellent alternative with good palatability, viscosity, isothermal stability and anti microbial properties which would improve patient compliance in their use.

Keywords: mouth wash, chlorhexidine, poly herbal, clove, cinnamon.