Formulation and Evaluation of a Polyherbal Anti Acne Emulgel Containing Tea Tree Oil, Neem Oil and Aloe Vera

Abstract

Topical therapy remains central to acne management, yet many conventional creams, ointments and gels can aggravate dryness and irritation in already compromised skin, which reduces comfort and adherence. Emulgels, produced by gelling an oil in water emulsion, offer a non-greasy, washable and physically stable vehicle that can solubilize lipophilic actives and improve their penetration into pilosebaceous units. Polyherbal emulgels further combine multiple plant derived actives in a single carrier, allowing complementary antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and soothing actions that are attractive for long term use in acne prone skin. The proposed work will focus on a tri herbal emulgel incorporating tea tree oil, neem oil and Aloe vera in a Carbopol based emulgel system, designed through a structured formulation strategy including selection of surfactant system and viscosity optimization. The formulation will be evaluated for appearance, pH, spreadability, viscosity, drug content, in vitro antimicrobial activity and stability under accelerated conditions.

Keywords: Polyherbal emulgel; Anti acne topical formulation; Tea tree oil; Neem oil; Aloe vera.