Optimization Of Rheological Properties In The Formulation Of An Ointment Base From Natural Ingredients

The purpose of this study was to optimize the formulation of ointment base by using statistical mixture design. Screening of hard thickeners Palm Stearin Beef Tallow and Beeswax was done to choose the best hard thickener or combination of hard thickeners whose nature and proportions would give the best semi-solid and consistent ointment with desired rheological properties Spreadability viscosity hardness. Contour plots of each response were depicted based on the equation given by the statistical-fitted models. The optimum area for the ointment base properties were located and the combination BeeswaxPalm stearinBeef Tallow was chosen. Other optimization was done to check the contribution of different factors Hard Thickener Soft Thickener and Lubricant on the rheological properties and their correlation. A strong inverse correlation was found to exist between the spreadability and the viscosity of the ointment base 91. A multi-response optimization was done to obtain a combined optimum proportion of ingredients that gave us 5 HT 84ST and 11 L. It can be concluded that the ointment base obtained with optimal rheological and drug release properties can be used for cosmetic and pharmacological applications. The plant extracts can be incorporated in this matrix for herbal ointments.