N.R Sneha Keerthi, Namita NaikKhanvte, Rajarajeshwari.N, K Shyam Sundar and Harish Kumar D.H
Posters: Anaplastology
This present work deals with a product that has brought a whole new dimension to hand sanitation, the newly popularized hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers are easy-to-use, as they are gel based and cleanse hands without the necessity of using soap and water. It can be used anytime, anywhere, thus proving to be more convenient and advantageous than the age old liquid soaps and hand washes. Hand sanitizer is known to kill germs in less than a minute and also has the ability to prevent infections like H1N1, viral flu, bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella and other infections that spread through physical contact. One of the main components used in the preparation of a hand sanitizer is Triclosan. Triclosan is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent. The USEPA reports claim that there is a chance that Triclosan contains carcinogens. Recently its safety has been reviewed by FDA. In 2009, the Canadian Government made a move to ban Triclosan. In 2010 a study linked it to an increase in allergies in children and also dermatitis. Hence the present investigation was focused to develop and evaluate hand sanitizers containing natural actives. In this formulation, novel herbal extract is used as anti-microbial agent, Carbomer as a gelling agent, propylene glycol as a humectant, Cucumber extract as a cooling agent, ethyl alcohol as an anti-bacterial agent, Vitamin E is used as a moisturizer along with fragrance. The developed formulation was evaluated for various quality control parameters like appearance, pH, viscosity, anti-microbial efficacy and skin irritation studies. The product was found to be clear with a pH of 5-6 and passed the anti- microbial efficacy test. It was found to be non irritant. Thus, herbal sanitizer containing a novel herbal extract was successfully developed and hence this active can be explored to develop other antimicrobial delivery systems.
N.R Sneha Keerthi is working as research associate under the guidance of Dr. Namita Naikkhanvte in one of the research project sanctioned by RGUHS, project number RGUHS/ R & D/ Research grants/ P09/ 2010-2011.
