Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Topical Gels Containing Acalypha wilkesiana

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus. 4.5 It has also been used as a cardioprotective agent as well as in the management of diabetes. 6 Other reported uses of A. wilkesiana include treatment of cold, headache, malaria 4 , inflammation and tumours in the breast. 6 Most publications on A. wilkesiana are based on the investigation of its pharmacological action or the support of its use in traditional health through phytochemical analysis of the aqueous, ethanolic or powder extracts. To the best of our knowledge, apart from Oyelami et al, who investigated the efficacy and safety of Acalypha wilkesiana ointment in the treatment of superficial fungal skin infection 2 , none have investigated the formulation of this medicinally active plant into a dosage form for optimized dosing and therapeutic effect. In this study, the antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) properties of A. wilkesiana were determined, the most appropriate gel dosage form for its therapeutic effectiveness was investigated and the effective strength in the dosage form ascertained through minimum inhibitory and zone of inhibition studies. Materials and Methods Solvents and ReagentsTween 80 was purchased from BDH Chemicals, England. Clotrimazole powder BP (> 98%) purity and Levofloxacin powder BP (>98%) were obtained from Drugfield Pharmaceutical company, Ogun State, Nigeria. Carbopol 940 (Shree organics, India), methylparaben, propyl paraben (Sigma-