Formulation and Evaluation of Anti-Microbial Herbal Hand Wash Gel Containing Aqueous Extract of Sapindus Mukorossi

Background: Herbal medicines and food products have extensively been looked upon for decades due to their biocompatible nature and the least adverse effects. At the same pace, plant-based cosmetics and toiletries are capturing the market due to their eco-friendly nature and compatibility with human skin. The marketed soaps and hand washes are based on toxic fatty acid salts, surfactants, and perfumes that are not only harmful to the skin but to the environment as well. The commonly used surfactant in soaps and hand washes, sodium lauryl sulfate makes the skin dry and sensitive. Moreover, the water getting polluted by SLS when entering the water bodies, makes the aquatic life vulnerable. So, it becomes important to formulate such hand washes that are biocompatible, without compromising their cleansing action and anti-microbial properties. This piece of work explores the formulation of an anti-bacterial hand wash having a good cleansing action to serve the purpose of maintaining personal hygiene in a biocompatible and eco-friendly way. Results: Herbal hand wash gel was prepared and evaluated using plant extracts, having potent anti-microbial action (minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.4cm and 3.7 cm for S. aureus and P.aeruginosa respectively). Conclusion: Formulation of plant based hand wash products by replacing the synthetic surfactants with natural saponins and antimicrobial extracts can be useful for regular use on skin, while reducing the toxic load on environment as well.