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Presented on The 2 International Conference on Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology/Nanomedicine 2015, 6

June 2015

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ANTIBACTERIAL CREAM FORMULATION FROM NEEM LEAF EXTRACT

(Azadirachta indica A. Juss) FOR ACNE TREATMENT
1

Atikah Arifah , M.F. Arifin , Lisa T J , Aris H S , Winda D J

1
Faculty of Pharmacy Pancasila University Jakarta
atikah.arifah93@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Neem leaf contains antibacterial compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and tannins
and can be used in the treatment of acne. In this study, neem leaves are formulated as o/w creams
to increase its convenience when applied to the skin. Neem leaves were extracted with 96% ethanol
and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus was determined
using dilution method. Based on MIC values, creams are made in 3 formula with variety of extract
concentration. The cream preparations were evaluated in physical, chemical and microbiological
aspects including organoleptic, homogenity, emulsion type, spreadability, globule size, viscosity and
rheology, centrifugation, pH, and microbial contamination test. Accelerated stability test is also
conducted at a temperature of 40C and sampled at week 0, 2, and 4. The antiacne effectivity of the
cream preparations were tested in vitro by inhibition zone observation and in vivo by Region of
Interest (ROI) method, Accelerated stability tests data were analyzed using non-parametric Kruskal
Wallis method to draw conclusions. The results showed that neem extract has MIC values of 4%.
Accelerated stability test showed that the cream remains stable after storage for 4 weeks at 40C.
Neem leaf extract creams showed inhibition zone of 8.95 to 14.45 mm. In vivo testing showed that
the test subjects acnes are healed after using the cream for 7 days. It can be concluded that neem
leaf extract may be formulated into a stable cream preparations in physics, chemistry, and
microbiology aspects and effective as an antibacterial for acne.

Keywords: Neem, o/w cream, acne, Staphylococcus aureus

INTRODUCTION
Acne is a skin disease caused by the
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and generally
treated with topical antibiotics, which can
lead to resistance problems, so that nowadays
herbal actives based acne treatment are often
developed. Neem is a plant that grows well
and may easily cultivated in Indonesia. Neem
leaves
contain
alkaloids,
flavonoids,
triterpenoids, and tannins which is effective
as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, so
that neem leaves juice is often used in
traditional acne treatment. This treatment is
considered impractical because the juice
should be fresh and can not be stored for a
long time. To overcome that problems, in this
research, the neem leaves were extracted and
formulated into oil-in-water (o/w) creams.
The cream preparations were evaluated in
physical, chemical, microbiological, and
effectivity aspects.

INSTRUMENTS
Instruments used in this research are: Rotary
vacuum evaporator, stirrer (Hsiangtai), oven
(Memmert), refrigerator, spreadability tester
kit, Brookfield viscometer, microscope
(Olympus), micrometer, vernier calipers, pH
meter (Hanna, HI-2211), centrifuge (Kokusan,
H-103N), incubator (Memmert), waterbath
(Memmert, W-600), colony counter (Galaxy320), laboratory glassware (Pyrex).
MATERIALS
Neem leaves, ethanol 96%, stearic acid, cethyl
alcohol, glyceril monostearic, triethanolamine,
isopropyl myristate, propylene glycol, methyl
paraben,
propyl
paraben,
sodium
metabisulfite, citric acid, aquadest, nutrient
agar, bacteria pepton broth, potato dextrose
Agar, trypticase soy broth (TSB), vogel
johnson agar, cetrimide agar, chromogenic
agar, Staphylococcus aureus, Sudan III,
Methylene Blue, antibacterial cream (contains
Gentamisin).

nd

th

Presented on The 2 International Conference on Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology/Nanomedicine 2015,

2015 6
June 2015

RESEARCH PRINCIPAL
The neem leaves were cut into small pieces,
dried, extracted by maceration with 96%
ethanol, thickened with a rotary vacuum
evaporator and the Minimum Inhibitory
Concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus
aureus were determined using dilution
method. Based on MIC values, creams
cream are
made in 3 formula with variety of extract
concentration.
The cream preparations were evaluated in
physical, chemical and microbiological aspects
including organoleptic, homogenity, emulsion
type, spreadability, globule size, viscosity and
rheology, centrifugation, pH, and microbial
contamination test. Accelerated stability test
is also conducted at a temperature of 40C
and sampled at week 0, 2, and 4. The antiacne
effectivity of the cream preparations were
tested in vitro by inhibition zone observation
obs
and in vivo by Region of Interest (ROI)
method, Accelerated stability tests data were
analyzed using non-parametric
parametric Kruskal Wallis
method to draw conclusions.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The cream preparations pictures and
evaluation results could be seen below:

Accelerated stability test for cream

preparations result showed that all formulas
remain stable after 4 weeks of storage at
40C. The organoleptic test showed that the
creams are acceptable for skin application,
and all formulas are homogenous. The
creamss viscosity increased while the
spreadability decreased following the increase
of extract concentration used in cream
formulas. Cream type is o/w so that the
creams are easy to washed with water and
doesnt feel oily on the skin. The creams
rheology is plastic
astic thixotropic, which
characterized by a high viscosity at low stress,
but decreased when stress is applied and
starts flowing when the yield value is
exceeded.
ed. The creams pH varies between
5,99-7,01.
7,01. In vitro test showed that the
creams have an inhibition
tion zone of 8,94-14,45
8,94
mm and in vivo test showed that subjects
acnes are improved as the redness and size of
acnes are reduced.

Figure 2. Inhibition zone results

F3

F2

CONCLUSION
F1

Ekstrak

Ekstrak 8%

Ekstrak 4%

Kontrol -

Kontrol +

25
20
15
10
5
0
Blangko

DDH (mm)

Figure 1. Neem leaf extract cream preparations

Figure 3. Accelerated stability test results (week 4)

The ethanol extract of neem leaves can be

formulated into a cream which is stable at
physics, chemistry and microbiology aspects
and effective as an antibacterial for acne

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Presented on The 2 International Conference on Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology/Nanomedicine 2015, 6

June 2015

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Hanni M. Aktivitas Antibakteri Ekstrak Daun
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Thank you for:

Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Pancasila,
Jagakarsa, South Jakarta

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