Development of anti-Inflammatory Hydrogel Incorporating Tulsi and Indian Frankincens for Enhanced Wound Healing and Tissue Repairing

Abstract

The intricate biological process of wound healing is frequently hampered by microbial invasion and excessive inflammation. The current study focusses on creating and testing a polyherbal hydrogel that contains extracts of Boswellia serrata (Indian Frankincense) and Ocimum sanctum (tulsi), both of which have well-established anti-inflammatory and medicinal qualities. Phytochemical analysis was performed on the essential oil from Boswellia serrata gum resin and the ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves that were obtained by steam distillation and Soxhlet extraction, respectively. Carbopol 940 was used as a gelling agent in the formulation of hydrogels, which were then optimised for physical properties such as appearance, pH, viscosity, homogeneity, spreadability, and drug content. The active ingredients showed a prolonged release profile in Franz diffusion cell-based in vitro release tests. The safety and therapeutic potential of the optimised formulation were validated by biological evaluations, such as protein denaturation-based anti-inflammatory assays and HET-CAM skin irritation. With no irritation or negative side effects, the produced hydrogel demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory effectiveness on par with regular diclofenac sodium. The robustness of the formulation under accelerated settings was further demonstrated by stability studies.