Speaker
Abstract
Background:
Topical emulgels can deliver both lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive compounds to wounded skin. Pumpkin seed oil contains fatty acids and antioxidant constituents, whereas spinach extract provides phenolic compounds with potential biological activity. Their combined incorporation into an alginate-based emulgel for wound-care applications warrants preliminary evaluation.
Objective:
To develop an alginate-based emulgel containing pumpkin seed oil and spinach extract and evaluate its physicochemical properties, preliminary antibacterial activity, and wound-closure potential in a rat linear incision model.
Methods:
Pumpkin seed oil was extracted with n-hexane and spinach extract with 80% ethanol. An oil-in-water emulsion was incorporated into a sodium alginate gel base containing zinc oxide and potassium sorbate. Formulations were evaluated for appearance, homogeneity, pH, spreadability, and detectable microbial contamination. Antibacterial activity was assessed by agar well diffusion against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Wound healing was evaluated in Wistar rats using a full-thickness linear incision model, with wound closure monitored on Days 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
Results:
The emulgels showed homogeneous semisolid consistency, no visible phase separation, and skin-compatible pH values of 5.8–6.4. No detectable bacterial growth was observed under the tested contamination conditions. The pumpkin seed oil emulgel showed limited antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, whereas the combined pumpkin seed oil–spinach extract emulgel showed limited activity against P. aeruginosa only. No activity was detected against E. coli. All groups showed progressive wound closure over time. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated significant effects of treatment, time, and treatment × time interaction (p < 0.001). The combined emulgel achieved the highest final wound closure among the tested groups and differed significantly from the untreated control at Day 15.
Conclusion:
The pumpkin seed oil–spinach extract emulgel showed acceptable preliminary physicochemical properties and supported wound closure in a rat incision model. Its antibacterial activity was limited and selective. Further studies incorporating optimized antimicrobial testing, histological evaluation, phytochemical standardization, in vitro release studies, long-term stability assessment, and appropriate formulation controls are needed to establish its therapeutic potential.
| Intend to be published in the IJPS ? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Has the manuscript been published | not published |
