Research J. Pharm. and Tech.

10(1): January 2017

ISSN 0974-3618 (Print) www.rjptonline.org

0974-360X (Online)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Formulation and evaluation of Herbal Hand wash containing Ethanolic

extract of glycyrrhiza glabra root extract
Ankit Patel*, Pankaj Kushwah, Dr. Sujit Pillai, Ajay Raghuvanshi, Nitin Deshmukh
GRY Institute of Pharmacy, Borawan, Khargone.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: pankajnipd@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:
Natural remedies are more acceptable in the belief that they are safer with fewer side effects than the synthetic
ones. Herbal formulations have growing demand in the world market. The present work deals with the
development & evaluation of the herbal hand wash containing ethanolic extract of liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza
glabra). Hand-washing is very important process in day to day life. Hands are major source through which
microbial infections may occur thus proper hand was must be required using appropriate hand wash formulation.
Herbs are known to have antimicrobial properties thus utilization of such herbs as antimicrobial agent is a
common practice now. Present study involves formulation of herbal hand wash using extract of liquorice root
(Glycyrrhiza glabra). Disc diffusion method was utilized for evaluation of the antimicrobial activity against skin
pathogens of the prepared herbal hand. Its efficacy was checked and compared with the standard commercial
hand wash. Results revealed that extract of liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) formulation was more efficient in
reducing the number of organisms from hands based handwash with less or no side effects. Thus, owing to
higher antimicrobial activity efficacy these herbal extract can be used in the preparation of herbal hand wash on
commercial scale.

KEYWORDS: Hand wash, antimicrobial activity, Glycyrrhiza glabra .

1. INTRODUCTION: There are large numbers of medicinal plants which are

Skin is one of the most exposed part of the body requires
protection from the pathogens. To protect the skin from
harmful micro organisms and to prevent spreading of
many contagious diseases hand washing is absolutely an
important precaution. Food production workers and
foodservice personnel must be taught to use correct hand
and fingertip washing by management in preparation for
work. Regulatory authorities do not require the use of a
fingernail brush. However, correct use of a fingernail
brush to wash hands and fingertips is the best way to
assure removal of transient microorganisms.1 Hands are
primary mode of transmission of microbes and
infections. Hand hygiene is therefore the most important
measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and
prevent the nosocomial infections.2
Received on 07.10.2016 Modified on 08.11.2016
Accepted on 08.12.2016 © RJPT All right reserved
Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2017; 10(1): 55-57.
DOI:
widely used in the treatment of skin diseases and also
possessed antimicrobial activity. However, plants are
very complex in their compositions and their therapeutic
activity depends on their major active chemical
constituents. Also, improper authentication of herbs,
adulterations by microorganism, and pesticide residue,
has made standardization of herbal drug of primary
importance. Thus before using these medicinal herbs in
any formulation, their authentication is necessary.
Traditional healers have long used plant to prevent or
cure infectious conditions. Plants are rich in wide variety
of secondary metabolites such as tannins, terpenoids,
alkaloids, and flavonoids etc. which have been found to
possess in-vitro antimicrobial properties. Considering
this ultimatum; an attempt has been made to screen
classical literature for the herbs with antimicrobial
properties and it has been found that Glycyrrhiza glabra
root extract holds that antimicrobial potency.3 Thus, we
aimed to formulate and evaluate herbal hand sanitizer
comprising of alcoholic extracts combination of these

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 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 10(1): January 2017

astonishing herbs using other suitable excipients; which 4.2 Appearance and Homogenicity
can be used as ready to use herbal hand wash. The Herbal Hand wash were homogenous; Yellow in
color and translucent in nature.5
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Samples of Glycyrrhiza glabra root were collected 4.3 pH
during August (2016) from Store room of Gry institute 1 gm of sample of Herbal Based hand wash was taken
of Pharmacy college Borawan, Khargone, M.P. The and dissolved it into 100 ml distilled water. The pH of
hand wash was prepared from the ethanolic extracts of solution was taken in previously standardized digital pH
Glycyrrhiza glabra. 10 g of the powdered root of plant meter.6
were extracted with 100 ml of ethanol solution (9 parts
of ethanol and 1 part of distilled water) by means of 4.4 Viscosity
extraction. This mixture was heated on water bath at 60C The viscosity of Poly Herbal Gel Based hand wash was
for 1 hour. The content was filtered through Whatman determined by using digital Brookfield viscometer.6
filter paper in order to get particle free extract. Filtrate
was used as ethanol extract .10 g of plant materials were 5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
added separately to 100 ml of methanol solutions (9 The Anti-microbial efficacy of the formulated Herbal
parts methanol: 1 part water) This mixture was heated in hand wash was tested on S. mutans and Staphylococcus
water bath at 60˚C for 60 minutes. The contents were aureus, by Disc-diffusion method. The results of showed
filtered and the filtrate was used as methanol extract. The that the hand wash prepared from ethanolic extract of
herbal hand wash was prepared by adding 4 ml of the Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract plant materials had
ethanol extract of combined plant materials in 6 ml of significant activity as compare the commercially
distilled water. To the final volume of 10 ml, 3 g of available hand wash. The activity of herbal hand wash
sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) was added as per the formulation showed significant inhibition of bacterial
requirement of standard procedure for preparation of growth in the culture plates.
handwash. The solution was made homogenous under
room temperature and used for the antibacterial 6. CONCLUSION:
screening. Most of the people do not even bother to use hand
washes in our daily life. Nobody knows the significance
3. ANTI MICROBIAL STUDIES: of liquid hand washes even these are much better than
3.1 Test microorganisms plain soaps due to their ingredients and effectiveness on
A panel of common pathogenic microorganisms was our skin of hands and as well as suitable for all type of
used in the study, which includes two gram-negative skin might be that was most sensitive. Mostly hand
bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella washes protect us from many daily encounter bacteria.
microorganism.)
Table.1: Antibacterial activity of the methanolic extract of
3.2 Disc-diffusion method glycyrrhiza glabra root.
Concentration Klebsiella Salmonella
The antibacterial activity of the herbal hand wash and (mg/mL) pneumoniae
extract were evaluated using Disc-diffusion method. A Zone of inhibition (mm)
suspension of the tested microorganisms was uniformly 25 22.00 ± 2.65 8.00 ± 1.00
swabbed on agar plates using sterile cotton swabs. 50 26.00 ± 2.00 10.33 ± 1.53
Sterile blank discs were individually impregnated to the 100 25.67 ± 3.51 14.00 ± 1.00
Ciprofloxacin(5 μg) 28.33 ± 2.51 26.00 ± 1.00
different concentrations of formulated hand wash (100,
250 and 500 mg/ml) and extracts (25, 50 and 100 mg/ml) * Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=3). P<0.05 between negative
were placed onto the inoculated agar plates8. The plates control disc and extract treated disc. P<0.05 between negative control
will be inverted and incubated at 37 ºC for 24 h for disc and standard treated disc.
bacteria. The antibacterial activity was measured by Table 2: Antibacterial activity of the herbal Hand washes
measuring diameter of the resulting zone of inhibition (Extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root)
against the tested organisms.4 Concentration Klebsiella Salmonella
(mg/mL) pneumoniae
Zone of inhibition (mm)
4. EVALUATION: 100 10.47 ± 3.05 12.00 ± 3.00
4.1 Physical Evaluation 250 7.67 ± 1.53 13.33 ± 1.53
The Herbal Hand wash was subjected to Physical 500 12.00 ± 2.00 17.67 ± 2.09
evaluation visually. The test parameters were Color, Ciprofloxacin(5 μg) 31.33 ± 3.06 28.67 ± 3.2
Odor and Texture.
* Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=3). P<0.05 between negative
control disc and extract treated disc. P<0.05 between negative control
disc and standard treated disc.
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 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 10(1): January 2017

Table 3: Physical Evaluations of Formulation

S.N. Parameter Observation
1 Appearance Clear
2 Homogeneity Homogenous
3 pH 6.9
4 Viscosity (m Pascals ) 45-120

7. REFERENCES:
1. Snyder OP, Paul St., Safe Hand Washing. Hospitality Institute of
Technology and Management, 1988;1-3.
2. Ravi K, Pratibha MD, Kolhapure SA., Evaluation of the
antimicrobial efficacy and safety of Pure Hands as a hand
sanitizer, Indian Journal of Clinical Practice. 2005;15(10):19-27.
3. Kokate CK, Purohit AP, Gokhale SB. Text book of
Pharmacognosy. 50th ed. Pune: Nirali Prakashan.2014: 52-56.
4. Mahendran Sekar, Nurashikin Abdul Rashid. Formulation,
Evaluation and Antibacterial Properties of Herbal Ointment
containing methanolic Extract of Clinacanthusnutans Leaves
International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical
Research.2016; 8(8): 1170-1174
5. Minakshi G Joshi, D V Kamat, S D Kamat. Evaluation of herbal
hand washes formulation. Journal of Natural product radiance.
2008; 7(5): 423-25.
6. Powar P.V, Bhandari N.R1, Arya Ashwini2, Sharma P.H.1
Formulation and Evaluation of Poly Herbal Anti-Bacterial Gel
Based Hand Wash, Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res.2015; 33(1):79-82

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