Estudio de pre-estabilidad de una crema antimicrobiana a base de Pelargonium Odoratissimum

Abstract

The plant Pelargonium odoratissimum, colloquially known as "Malva olorosa", is considered to have medicinal potential because its chemical composition contains metabolites such as flavonoids, coumarins, tannins and alkaloids, which have therapeutic effects, especially antimicrobial effects. Based on this, antimicrobial creams based on hydroalcoholic extracts of the plant have been developed following the original formulation of Carnero Sigcha. Therefore, the aim of the work was to carry out pre-stability studies on the cream. The quality control of the crude drug was evaluated by means of tests reporting values of; humidity 10.17%, total ash 4.49%, soluble substances in hydroalcoholic mixture (50%) 67.52%. On the other hand, in the quality control analysis of the extract, values of pH 5.83, total solids 3.25 g, relative density 0.94 g/mL, refractive index 1.36nD and total flavonoids 43.75 mg QUE/g were obtained, which are within the permitted ranges according to the literature. The antimicrobial activity of the hydroalcoholic extract was measured using the disc diffusion method against bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and fungi such as Candida albicans, where sensitivity was demonstrated with inhibition halos of 19 mm and 18 mm. A previous stability study was carried out on the antimicrobial cream, evaluating weekly the organoleptic characteristics (colour, odour and appearance), extensibility and pH to determine if there is any physical alteration in the cream, in addition to viscosity, centrifugation and freeze-thaw tests. For the microbiological control of the cream, a Müller Hilton agar was used, where there was an absence of bacterial and fungal growth, thus confirming that the product is in optimum conditions.