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Medicated ointments: Methods of preparation, Mode of Action, Physico

chemical characteristics- An overview

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DOI: 10.47392/IRJASH.2023.056

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International Research Journal on Advanced Science Hub
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RSP Science Hub http://dx.doi.org/10.47392/IRJASH.2023.056

Medicated ointments: Methods of preparation, Mode of Action, Physico

chemical characteristics- An overview
Hari Prasad P M 1 , Sujithra Ram Manohar2 , Aleena Najeeb1 , Zeena S Pillai1
1
Department of Chemistry, Amrita School of Physical Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India.
2
Amrita School of Ayurveda, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India

Emails: hariphotochem@gmail.com, zeenaspillai@am.amrita.edu

Article History Abstract

Received: 20 July 2023 Skin protects our body against the entry of microorganisms as well as serves as
Accepted: 24 August 2023 a barrier to loss of salts, body fluids and maintains our body temperature. The
Published: 30 August 2023
need for efficient drug delivery system through the skin is essential to reduce
Keywords: systemic toxicity. This has been achieved to a certain extent by the advent
Ointment;
of oinments/ malahara (as has been coined in Ayurveda). This review pro-
spreadability; vides a detailed overview on the preparation, properties, mode of action and
Malahara; therapeutic use of oinments/malahara/malham in the treatment of various skin
Malham; disorders. Though there are articles published on ointments and Malahara
Phytotherapy separately, a review connecting the herbal ointments to Malahara has never
been done before. This article aims to fill that gap

1. Introduction apy is the oldest method of treatment (Desantis

et al. Zeena, Pillai, and Joy) and is often used
The healing properties of plants has been exten- as the primary provider of healthcare in low- and
sively exploited and explored from the very early middle-income countries. Herb based medicines
stages of evolution (Guglielmi, Pontecorvi, and have become more common in developing countries
Rotondi). The plants were not only considered as in recent decades (Srivastava).For example, Qui-
a source of food and shelter but were also rich in nine is obtained from the bark of Cinchona tree,
several vital resources (S, Pillai, and Joy). Plants the derivatives of which are widely used for treat-
have been used from time immemorial to cure ing Malaria. (Wen et al.) Curare, a fast-acting poi-
common infectious diseases. Nearly half of the son is a plant leaf extract which is extracted from
world’s medicinal compounds are extracted from the plant family Strychnos toxifera and Strychnos
plants (Sasidharan et al.). It is worth mention- castelnaea (Tyrrell, Scurr, and Davison). Interest-
ing that most of the effective medicines of the ingly, scientists discovered that Curare could be
last five decades, were first isolated from plants. used to relax the muscles of patients undergoing
Incorporation of herbal products in Traditional Chi- surgery (Essa et al.). The Cocoa tree which grows
nese Medicines, Unani and Ayurvedic formulations in rain forests produces about 150 different chem-
were put into practice from ancient times (Deepak icals. The chemicals thus derived from them are
et al.). Herbal products include a wide range used in medications to treat fevers, coughs, and
of plant-based preparations that fall into the cat- wounds (Slotten and Venicia). More than two-
egories of food, nutritional supplements and cos- thirds of anti-cancer drugs are derived from rain-
metics (Suroowan and Mahomoodally). Phytother- forests (Nelson et al.). Owing to the prevalent belief

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Hari Prasad P M et al. 2023, Vol. 05, Issue 08 August

that “natural” means “harmless” (Bent), Ayurveda 2. Ointments

has been practised from time immemorial (Vyas). A Ointments are gel like semisolid formulation which
herbal product cannot be termed as being Ayurvedic. on direct application heals, protects or soothes
Just because a medicine is sourced from a plant, it the skin. (Mohiuddin) They act as both protec-
does not become Ayurvedic medicine. Any formu- tive and therapeutic agents which help to trans-
lation can be categorised as Ayurveda, only when it port the medicines to the infected area (Ashara et
sticks to the classical method of preparation as men- al. Mark et al. Purnamawati et al.). Due to its
tioned in the text books or when mild modifications occlusive qualities, oleaginous ointments are recom-
are made to the basic concept and then prepared. mended for dried chapped skin in low humid envi-
Malahara is a classical dosage form explained by the ronments. Physical tests such as absorption rate,
ancient textbooks of Ayurveda. But in the context non-irritancy, penetration, drug release, rheologi-
of discussing ointments, Malahara bears the closest cal property, and material uniformity, along with
resemblance. When it comes to the use of Ayurvedic microbiological tests such as microbial content and
formulations, the ease of consumption or application preservative effectiveness, are used to assess oint-
needs to be taken into consideration very seriously. ments. (S. Sharma and S. P. Singh) Apart from the
Another dosage form that is commonly referred to base oil or fat, very few ingredients are present in
as ‘Lepam’ in Ayurveda, if converted to ointment ointments thus posing a low chance of sensitization
will definitely gain popularity. In Ayurveda, the and discomfort. (Lodén)
dosage form that bears a close resemblance to oint-
ment is ‘Malahara’, which has a semi solid con- 3. Types of ointments
sistency and is applied to the external parts of the Based on medicinal value, ointments can be clas-
body . The term ”Malahara” initially appeared in sified into medicated and non- medicated ointments.
the text ’Yogaratnakara,’ as well as in Bhaisajya Drugs with local or systemic effects are used in med-
Ratnakara, Rasatarangini, Rasatantrasara and Sid- icated ointments. (Leppert et al.) The various types
haprayoga Sangraha (R. Dr and Angadi) This is also are shown in Figure 1.
referred to as ‘Malham’ in Unani treatment (K. R. 3.1. Dermatological ointments
Dr and Reddy). The base used for the preparation
Dermatological ointments are usually applied on the
of each ointment determines its dosage form. The
Malahara does have two main ingredients, one is the surface of the skin to moisturize or prevent dryness
or itchy scalps. These are of three types- Epidermic,
base and the other is medicament. The base used
Endodermic and Diadermic. Epidermic ointments
maybe ghee or mixture of gingelly oil and bee wax
are used to treat infection from fungus or yeast on
in a particular ratio . The preparation and thera-
the surface of the skin (Garg et al.).
peutical application of 54 Malahara are explained
in the Rasa textbooks of ayurveda (Savrikar and
Ravishankar). The therapeutical application varies
according to the ingredients (Akhil et al.). Though
this is a very potent dosage form, this is not as com-
monly used as the rest of the dosage forms. In states
like Tamilnadu and Kerala, we see very little use of
Malahara in clinical practice.

This review focuses on various classification of

ointments based on the preparation, therapeutical
activity, physiochemical characteristics and mode of FIGURE 1. Type of ointments
action. It also throws lights and cites several exam-
ples on Malahara which is an analogous type of Ketoconazole is a typical epidermic ointment
medication in Ayuveda. widely used for dandruff treatment. Endodermic
ointments like Demodex operate by penetrating the

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Methods of preparation, Mode of Action, Physicochemical characteristics- An overview 2023, Vol. 05, Issue 08 August

skin’s deeper layers [30]. Diadermic ointments pen- tion which results in irritation and intense itch-
etrate to the deeper layers (Hypodermis) of the skin ing (El et al.). Example for vaginal ointments are
and has a systemic effect. (Eg:nitroglycerine) [31] Rala Malahara and Vranamrita Malahara that are
A schematic representation of different layers of the said to be effective in vrana (wound) caused by
skin is depicted in Figure 2.For example skin dis- Upadamsha (syphilis) and inflammation of the uri-
eases such as ring worm infestation, allergic der- nary tract (Biswas).
matitis, foot cracks and fungal infection are treated
3.5. Rectal ointments
using Gandhaka Malahara . Key Ingredients of the
same are Shudha Gandhaka (sulphur powder), Kar- These ointments are used to treat the perianal area or
poora (Camphor) and Tankana Shudha (Borax). the anal canal (Hegde, Trombold, and Dominguez).
A combination of White paraffin, PEG 300, cetyl
esters, cetyl alcohols are used as bases. (Trusha,
Purohit, and Sara) Sulfacetamide sodium ointment
is used to treat Seborrhea dermatitis; Sarjarasamala-
hara and ArshoharaMalahara are used to cure haem-
orrhoids (Shailesh, V. Singh, and Naini).
3.6. Based on therapeutic uses
Therapeutic effect of an ointment is the ability to
FIGURE 2. Layers of Skin inhibit or kill pathogens and to cure other disease
conditions. Based on their function they are classi-
fied into four groups (H et al.).
3.2. Ophthalmic ointments
Antibiotic ointments (Goswami et al.) are applied
Ophthalmic ointments are used to treat eye infec- topically on the skin to restrict the growth of bacte-
tions, dry eyes and inflammation of eyelid (Sen et ria (Elliott et al.). They prevent infections that may
al.). Depending upon the ailment, specific types of happen when the skin is injured. (Elliott et al.) The
ophthalmic ointment is used: (a) Antibiotic oint- medication though absorbed through the erupted
ment helps to kill the bacteria which cause infec- skin, doesn’t seem to be useful for treating infec-
tion. (b) Lubricating ointment helps to keep the tions in the deeper layers (Negut, V. Grumezescu,
eye moist in case of dryness. Some commonly and A. Grumezescu). Polysporin, Neosporin, and
recommended ophthalmic ointments (Messmer) bacitracin are useful for minor skin injuries (Tong
include Ciprofloxacin ophthalmic which is used et al.). Antibiotics such as mupirocin (Bactroban),
to treat corneal ulcers and inflammation (ker- metronidazole (Metrogel), are prescribed for deeper
atitis) (Hyndiuk et al.) Bacitracin, Polymyxin wounds (Manohar et al.)
B, Neomycin, Tobramycin and Erythromycin are Antifungal ointments (de Castro et al.) can
antibiotics used to treat eye and eyelid infec- be used to treat fungal infections, which are usu-
tions. (Abelson et al.) ally found in skin, hair, and nails (Youngnamkang
3.3. Nasal ointments et al.). Even though fungi are found in all kinds of
The Nasal ointments are used to cure breath- environments, not all species cause illness (Jyothi,
ing related problems, nasal congestion etc (Keller, Koland, and Priya). A group of fungi referred to as
Merkel, and Popp). The ingredients in the nasal Dermatophytes cause infections to skin and mucous
ointments get absorbed into the bloodstream through membrane (Walsh and Dixon). Topical antifungal
the nasal lining (J. Metz et al.). For example iprat- medication is usually in the form of a lotion, cream,
ropium bromide ointment is used to treat wheezing solution, spray or gel (Ameen) .Topical antifungals
and shortness of breath (Kotaniemi-Syrjänen et al. initially kill the fungal cells and later on arrest their
S. Sharma and Rasatarangini). growth (Gamage et al.).
Antipruritic ointments, (M. Metz and Staubach)
3.4. Vaginal ointments are used to treat eczema, dermatitis, allergies,
These ointments are used to treat against infec- rashes etc (Hong et al.). Hydrocortisone acetate
tions in the vaginal area caused due to fungal infec- which is a mild corticosteroid is found to reduce

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swelling, itching, and redness associated with the amount of aqueous portion in it.
ailments (Vempati and Sobel). • Oleaginous base help in increasing the contact
Anti-inflammatory ointments (Thais et al.) time of the medication ingredients with the skin.
can be used to treat several symptoms of pain • Can act as Air and water tight medical dressing
and inflammation, including: Short-term strains in first aid (Ueda)
or sprains, Muscle aches or pain, Tendon pain, Some of the common examples are white petrola-
Joint pain from health conditions like osteoarthri- tum, yellow ointment, white ointment .
tis (Vandana Garg). A non-steroidal anti-
4.2. Absorption base
inflammatory drug like Voltaren works by blocking
an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX) (Kitzen The emulsifying property of an ointment is referred
et al.). COX is responsible in the produc- to by the term ‘absorption base’They are generally
tion of prostaglandins, which cause inflamma- insoluble in water and anhydrous lanolin .
tion (Nagaich and Vandana Chaudhary). Voltaren Water in oil emulsion or oleaginous bases allows
gel is used to treat actinic keratosis, arthritis pain the incorporation of aqueous solution .They can-
in joints (Kyuki et al.). The anti-inflammatory effect not be easily washed off with water (Ajala, Eraga,
of diclofenac-sodium ointment was researched upon and Akin-Ajani) e.g. Anhydrous Lanolin and
by H Fujimura et al (B. Nair and Taylor-Gjevre hydrophilic petrolatum are used for emollient appli-
Menassé et al.). The anti-inflammatory effects of cations (Allafi et al.).
different batches of diclofenac-Na ointment pre- 4.2.1. Water-removable Bases
pared with three kinds of bases: lipophilic, emul- Water-removable bases have a semi solid consis-
sion (cream) and gel bases were compared. The tency . The external phase of the emulsion being
cream was found to have the most potent effect in aqueous can be easily washed off from the skin
comparison with indomethacin gel (IM gel), bufexa- and are referred to as ‘water-washable bases .
mac cream (BM cream) and mobilat ointment (ML Hydrophilic ointment, USP consists of the follow-
ointment) (Pandey et al. Mohammed et al.). It was ing ingredients. For the preparation of about 1000 g
found to impart analgesic effect , inhibit prolifera- of the ointment, following ingredients are required
tion of granulation tissue, reduce swelling (Komeh- (Figure 3) (Annaji et al.)
Nkrumah et al. Jurca et al.).
4. Types of Ointment bases
Ointment Base can be referred to as the drug carrier
part (Sadozai, Zafar, and Sajjad). The Quality of the
medicine, the stability and the area of the application
can be determined by the ointment base . There are
mainly three classes of ointments and they are differ-
entiated based on the physical composition (Rahimi
et al.).
4.1. Oleaginous ointment base
The oleaginous ointment base is a mixture of liq-
uid, semisolid or solid hydrocarbon derived from
plants, animals or petroleum (Nwamaka et al. Wid-
hiantara et al.). They possess a wide range of melt-
ing point and viscosity (D et al.). The major hydro-
carbon bases include petroleum, paraffin and lano-
lin. Oleaginous ointments have the following char- FIGURE 3. Approximate percentages of differ-
acteristics (Yeoh and Goh). ent ingredients in ointments
• Possess emollient effect.
• Difficult to be removed from our body. For preparing this ointment, stearyl alcohol and
• Do not get dried up quickly, as there is small white petrolatum are fused together. Sodium lau-

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ryl sulphate (SLS) is the emulsifying agent usu- 5.3. Chelating agents
ally used (Kang et al.). Stearyl alcohol, Methyl Small amounts of chelating chemicals such as cit-
paraben, propyl paraben and white petrolatum con- ric acid, maleic acid, and phosphoric acid, can be
stitute the oleaginous phase (S. J. Hassan et al. added to trap metal ions which are known to catal-
Kumar, Shankar, and Mishra). yse oxidative degradations (Mahato et al.).
4.2.2. Water-soluble Bases
5.4. Perfumes
Water-soluble bases are completely water-washable Introducing aroma to the ointments can increase its
and are ‘greaseless’in nature. (Pandey et al.). commercial value (Mohamed). The perfume should
Polyethylene glycol ointment, is an example of be carefully chosen as it needs to blend well with the
water-soluble base. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a rest of the ingredients. Essential oils from Jasmine,
polymer which exists in liquid, semisolid or solid rose, lily, and gardenia are among the floral scents in
form based on its average molecular weights the this group. Sandalwood and cedar wood are among
greater the molecular weight, the greater the vis- the woody species (Volpert and Perfume).
cosity (Conway, Brown, et al. K et al. Bhagurkar et
al.). Selection of appropriate base in the ointment is 5.5. Cosmeceutical Activity
based on a) stability of the drug b) characteristics of The use of Ayurvedic beauty products is quite com-
the skin surface to be treated c) release rate of drugs mon among both men and women. Such cosme-
into the ointment d) stability of the drug (Krysiak ceutical ointments can be used for different pur-
and Stachewicz). poses (Chandra, Sodiyal, and Patil). Some of them
are;
5. Other essential ingredients
1. Nurturing and Enhancement of skin – These
5.1. Preservatives in ointments ointments are used to give a balanced nourishment
In order to increase the shelf life of an ointment to the skin. The ingredients includes Grapefruit
it has to be prevented from being contaminated by extract which are the natural source of vitamin A,
bacteria and fungi (O Diovu et al.). The Irritancy C and E (Deshmukh et al.).
and toxicity of the ingredient on the tissue to which 2. Anti Ageing activity – ‘Vayasthapana’ means
the ointment is applied need to be checked thor- arresting age and maintaining youthfulness. These
oughly before using the product (T. Sharma et al.). are the ointments which provide optimum physio-
It is noted that the Nasal passages will get irri- logical functions which encourage the arresting of
tated by methyl and propyl parabens ingredients; the ageing cycle and provide youthful skin. These
Boric acid exposure in nasal passage turns out to ointments are rich in vitamin C, Gallic acid and Tan-
be dangerous (Stjepanovic et al.). The preservatives nins. It also improves cell migration and cell bind-
that we add may be absorbed by the plastic con- ing which known as ‘Sandhaniya’ and improves the
tainers or rubber closures, limiting their availability skin complexion known as ‘Kantikara’. It also has
for antimicrobial action. (Arora, Vats, and Verma) A adaptogenic agent known as ‘Rasayana’ (Mangal).
constant check on the preservative properties have 3. Providing Radiant Skin – These ointments has
to done in order to ensure the purity of the oint- the ability to provide radiance or bright complex-
ment. (Stan et al.) ion. These ointment herbs are known as ‘Varnya’
which includes Sandalwood, Vetiver etc. Jeevan-
5.2. Antioxidants
thyadimalahara is said to be very good for improv-
Antioxidants should be used to prevent the oxidation ing the complexion (Trak and Chauhan).
of the base. It is preferrable to use two antioxidants
rather than one. (Zaitsev et al.) When a base has both 6. Preparation of ointments
aqueous and oil phases, the concentration of antiox- Three methods are commonly adopted for the prepa-
idants can be estimated only by their partition coef- ration of ointments. Incorporation method, fusion
ficients between the two phases. Butylated hydroxy method and emulsification method, the selection of
anisole, propyl gallate, Dihydroguaiaretic acid, are which depends on the physical and chemical char-
commonly used (Choudhary et al.). acteristics of the ingredients. (Phatale et al.)

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6.1. Incorporation method of ‘Nimbadi Malahara’ the base is SiktaTaila com-

monly known as bee wax. To this the other ingre-
dients like Goghrta which is cow’s ghee, ’Nimbapa-
trasvarasa’ which is fresh juice extracted from neem
leaves and Rasakarpura an ayurvedic medicine con-
taining mercury are added. This is mainly used in
the case of infectious wounds . In a similar manner,
there are different Malahara with different therapeu-
tic indications.
Some of these ‘Malahara’ and their therapeutical
properties are as follows
1. Sinduradi Malahara / Sinduradi lepam
These are prepared by melting bee wax (Mad-
huchista) in coconut oil. Other ingredients includes
FIGURE 4. Preparation of ointment using Sindura, Rasa Sindura, Rasa Karpura. These are
homogeniser mainly used to treat skin diseases such as eczema
and dermatitis .
2. Gandhakadya Malahara / Gandhaka Malahara
For a small scale preparation the components are It contains Girisindhura, Naga sindura, Gand-
mixed using a spatula on a glass slab or porcelain haka, Tankana, Coconut Oil and pure Bee wax.
plate. Rubber spatula can be used in case the ingre- They are used for treatment of ailment of skin like
dients react with the metal spatula. A uniform mix- ringworms infection and fungal infection.
ture is prepared by mixing a small portion of the
3. Sarja Rasa Malahara
finely powdered component with a portion of the
These Malahara are effectively useful in reducing
base. It is important to note that the components
pain, Inflammation, Itching, the ingredients being
are finely powdered to avoid grittiness. This may be
Tila Tila ,Sarajarasa and Spatika .
done by levigation process The levigating agent, (for
eg. mineral oil, glycerine) used should be physically 7. Physiochemical properties of ointments
and chemically compatible with the drug as well as The use of drug in the outer layer of the skin is an
the base. (Bharskar and Siddheshwar) age-old method. . It is still used due to its ease of
6.2. Fusion access, large surface area, vast exposure, and non-
Here the ingredients are fused together and then invasive nature of treatment. An ideal ointment has
cooled with constant stirring. In order to avoid the following physiochemical characters.
decomposition or volatilization, heat - labile ingre- 7.1. PH of ointment
dients are added only towards the end. The base
The concept of pH was introduced by a Danish
present in such medicated ointments include stearyl
chemist Sorenson. Based on his definition pH of
alcohol, high molecular weight PEG, bees wax
an ointment is a measure of how acidic or basic the
etc. (A. Nair et al.).
ointment is. Usually, ointments with pH less than
6.3. Emulsification method 7 are considered acidic in nature and te ones with
Emulsification is the process of mixing two or more pH greater than 7 is basic in nature. pH of ointment
incompatible liquids into a semi-stable combination varies with formulations that constitutes the compo-
. An aqueous solution of thermally stable material nents. A pH range between 6 and 8 is safe to use
are heated to the same temperature. After that the . Its formulations are determined by a digital pH
solution is gently added to the melted bases with meter or using a pH indicator paper.0.5g of weighed
constant stirring until the mixture cools down. . formulation is dispersed in 50ml of distilled water
As we mentioned before, in Ayurveda, the ‘Mala- and pH is determined. . The following equation can
hara’ is prepared by using the most suitable base be used for finding pH.
(H + )
into which the ingredients are added. In the case pH = −log 10 { (1molL −1 } 1
)

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7.2. Homogeneity 8. Mechanism of action of ointments

The homogeneity of ointment indicates uniform
composition throughout the mixture. Homogene-
ity of an ointment is also known as dose unifor-
mity which is a primary requirement of an ointment.
The assessment of homogeneity enables calculation
of particle size . The concept of homogeneity is
applied to those systems which are prepared by dis-
persion methods .
7.3. Viscosity
The thickness of a fluid is often referred to as vis-
cosity . Viscosity is the consequence of interac-
tions between molecules in a fluid at the molecular
level. It can be considered as the friction between
the molecules . Viscosity of the ointment is gen-
erally measured in centi poises . A D Maru et.al. FIGURE 5. Mechanism of ointment action
evaluated the viscosity of ointment which contain
sunflower wax. S Patnayak and co-workers eval- The ointment is applied to the skin topically. Dif-
uated the viscosity of herbal ointments formulated fusion allows the ointment’s active ingredients to
with methanolic extracts of C ajanus Scarabaeoides reach the skin’s inner layers (Figure 4). The medica-
plant . ments penetrate deep down and enter into the blood
7.4. Water number capillaries. They enter into the systemic circulation
and produce desired effects. (Shinde et al.)
At a particular temperature, the water number is the
maximum quantity of water that can be added to 9. Characteristics of an ideal ointment
100 grams of base (Holzman). It was determined An ideal ointment must be chemically and physi-
by constantly swirling the ointment base by adding cally balanced. It should be noted that the finely
distilled water till no more water is absorbed as is powdered ingredients should be mixed thoroughly
evident by the presence of water droplet in the con- and uniformly with the base oil. When rubbed
tainer . through the skin surface these ointment should melt
7.5. Spreadability and distribute through the body surface uniformly at
the body temperature .
The ease with which a product may be distributed
is known as spreadability . It’s a desirable feature 10. Conclusion
in margarines, butter, jams, chocolate spreads, and Despite the fact that the term ”ointment” only
other foods, but it’s also significant in ointments, became common with the development of modern
lotions, and waxes (Sibi and Anna). Time is used medicine, it had been known to mankind for many
to measure separability . A tiny quantity of sample years prior to that, in Unani as Malham and in
was put between the two glass slides, and a signif- Ayurveda as Malahara, as from the studies it is stated
icant amount of weight was applied to these glass that Yoga Ratnakara was the first prepared Mala-
slides. A weight is placed on the top of the upper hara Kalpana to Ayurveda (R. Dr and Angadi K. R.
slide.The time required to separate the two slides Dr and Reddy). At present even Taila (Medicated
was noted (S. Singh, Zaidi, and Maurya Swathi et Oil) are being processed into Malahara to make it
al.). convenient for the patient, as oil application is very
Spreadability was calculated using the formula: tedious . The Bee wax used as an ingredient in
S = M.L/T (2) ointment also has therapeutical properties. Despite
Where, M is the weight tied to the upper slide, being used topically, this treatment is just as bene-
L is the length of glass slides, ficial in Ayurveda as any other dosage form, even
T is the time taken to separate the slides internal ones 149]. These ointments are also used as

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Hari Prasad P M et al. 2023, Vol. 05, Issue 08 August

chelating agents, used in perfume industries and also Annaji, Manjusha, et al. “Enhanced Topical Co-
in cosmeceutical fields. Without causing any harm, delivery of Acyclovir and Lidocaine Gel Formu-
ointments can target particular areas . As mentioned lation Across Dermatomed Human Skin”. AAPS
before there are some major requirements like the PharmSciTech 23.8 (2022): 1–1.
oil base, the powdered ingredients and the binding Arora, K, V Vats, and P K Verma. “A Review
base which makes the correct consistency and pro- on Pharmaceutical Suspension and Its Advance-
vide maximum action to the affected area . It is ment”. Ann Clin Case Rep (2022).
also to be noted that the ratio of these oil base and
ingredients are different for different Malahara and Ashara, Jalpas Kalpesh Chhotalal, et al. “Micro-
is recommended to follow some precaution to pro- emulsion based emulgel: a novel topical drug
vide uniform consistency of the ointment in order to delivery system”. Asian Pacific Journal of Trop-
provide maximum action of the particular ointment ical Disease 4.1 (2014): 27–32.
. It is to be noted that the ingredients which are used Bent, S. “Herbal medicine in the United States:
to make the ointments are finely powdered before review of efficacy, safety, and regulation: grand
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