Formulation and evaluation of antibacterial ointment containing embelin isolated from Embelia ribes

Abstract

Background: Embelin is an active constituent isolated from Embelia ribes and well known for its antibacterial potential. However, so far, embelin has not been explored into a formulation and tested for antibacterial properties. Objective: The objective of this study was to formulate an ointment containing embelin as an active ingredient and evaluate for its antibacterial properties. Methods: The embelin antibacterial ointment was formulated using base and evaluated its physicochemical properties using standard parameters. The antibacterial activity of the formulated ointment in different concentration was tested against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus epidermidis) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) using disc diffusion method. Results and Discussion: The formulated ointment showed significant antibacterial activity against all the tested organisms with zone of inhibition ranges from 7.67 ± 0.58 to 12.00 ± 1.00 mm. Conclusion: The observed antibacterial activity of the ointment was due to the presence of embelin, and the activity of embelin was well maintained when it was transformed into an ointment. This was good sign to do further studies to make this formulation into commercial standard and used for the treatment of bacterial infections.