UNIT III: HERBAL COSMETICS

Cosmetics are the articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or

sprayed on or introduced in to or applied to any part of the human body
for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the
appearance

Herbal cosmetics are the products which are formulated using various
permissible cosmetic ingredients in which one or more components
obtained from herbal source are used to provide defined cosmetic
advantages

Classification of Cosmetics

 Skin care cosmetic products

 Hair care cosmetic products
 Oral care cosmetic products
 Eye care cosmetic products
 Nail care cosmetic products
 Cosmetics for bath products

Advantages of Herbal cosmetics

RAW MATERIALS USED IN HERBAL COSMETIC PREPARATIONS

FIXED OILS

 Fixed oils are the oils obtained from natural source (plants as well as
animals).
 These are the lipid content made up of ester of fatty acids with
glycerol.
 It consists of high molecular weight long chain fatty acid.
 Fatty acids combine with glycerol and leads to the formation of ester
compound which is called as fixed oils.
 If the substance is in liquid state at room temperature then it is oil
(fixed oil) and if it is in solid or semi-solid state at room temperature
then it is fat.
 They are non-volatile in nature.
 Ex. Olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, arachis oil, castor oil

WAXES

 Waxes are the compounds similar to fixed oils derived from natural
origin.
 It is made up of ester of fatty acid with monohydric alcohol (cetyl
alcohol, myricyl alcohol) component other than glycerol
 Waxes are saponify by means of alcoholic alkali
 The leaves and fruits of many plants have waxy coatings which may
protect them from dehydration and small predators
 Ex. Beeswax, carnuba wax, spermaceti

GUMS

 Gums are the exudates obtained from the tree barks which are harden
upon exposure to air or upon drying.
 Gums are long chains of sugars (polysaccharides) made up of
galactose, arabinose and rhamnose
 It is a pathological product obtained due to injury or to unfavorable
conditions
 It is readily soluble in water
 Gums usually obtained from stem, wood or bark part of the plant where
as in few cases; it can be obtained from leaves, roots and other parts of
the plants
 Gums are used to enhance or modulating the consistency of products
 Ex. Acacia, Guar gum, Tragacanth, Sodium alginate, xanthan gum

COLOURS

 Colours are the additive agents derived from the natural sources
present in the cosmetic preparations which enhance overall physical
appearance, conceal flaws or define features.
 Colours are also called as natural dyes play a vital role in marketing
any product such as cosmetics, food additives, pharmaceutical
products etc.
 Natural colouring pigments can be obtained from different sources
includes plant, animal, insects, minerals and microbes
 Natural colorants are eco-friendly, non-toxic, no/ less side effects, non-
carcinogenic in nature
 It has more health benefits such as anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, vitamin
source etc
 Ex.

PERFUMES
 Perfumes are the natural liquids with aroma containing essential oils
obtained from different parts of the plants as well as animals that
provides a distinct and a pleasant odour to the cosmetic products
 They help to impart pleasant odour as well as mask the inherent smell
of some ingredients in the formulation
 Essential oils are volatile in nature
 Natural fragrant materials obtained from different sources which
includes different parts of plants as well as animals
 Ex. Lavender oil, rose oil, jasmine oil, Musk, Civet

PROTECTIVE AGENTS

 Protective agents are the components obtained from natural source

which helps to prevent or to treat disease or disorder which are related
to skin, hair, oral cavity, nail, eye etc.
 Some agents help to protect skin from the UV exposure
 Some agents help to avoid hair falling due to environmental factors
 These agents consists of active principles with therapeutic benefits
 Ex. Neem, Aloe, Cucumber, Carrot etc

BLEACHING AGENTS

 Bleaching agents are the compounds which come under the category
of whiteners, brighteners, bleaching creams, skin lightening agents etc.
 These agents are used in for the skin care in hyperpigmentation
condition
 Hyperpigmentation in skin will happen due to frequent exposure to
sunlight which may lead to disease condition.
 Melanin is the pigment responsible for the skin colour. These agents
acts on melanin production and show the bleaching effect on skin
 Ex. Lemon, Turmeric etc

ANTIOXIDANTS

 Antioxidants are the agents will protect from cell damage and prevents
the formation of free radicals due to oxidation process within the body
 The continuous exposure to environmental factors leads to alternations
in the connective tissues due to the formation of lipid peroxides and
reactive oxygen species
 They reduce the inflammation and allow the skin to repair itself and
treat the visible damages
 Antioxidants help to slow down the visible signs of ageing
 Vitamin C is the major constituent present in variety of plant source
which shows antioxidant property
 Ex. Sesame oil, green tea etc

RAW MATERIALS USED IN SKIN CARE PREPARATIONS

 Skin care products are the cosmetics which enable the skin to function
properly and improve the appearance and texture of the skin
 Cosmetics helps to clean, preserve the moisture balance, stimulate the
skin metabolism and protect the skin from harmful UV radiations
 Skin care cosmetics include different products such as face mask, face
creams, face powders, body lotions, sunscreens etc.
 Melanin is the pigment responsible for the colour of eyes, hair and skin
and the production process is called as melanogenesis
 Sometimes abnormal pigmentation may lead to skin disease conditions
 Natural compounds that possess skin care activity includes liquorice,
Olive oil, grape wine, turmeric, aloe etc

Liquorice

RAW MATERIALS USED IN HAIR CARE PREPARATIONS

 Hair care cosmetics are the products which are used to improve
growth, smoothness and appearance of the hair
 These products help in cleaning, modifiying the texture, colour and
providing nourishment to the hair
 Temperature, age, hormones, nutrition and environmental factors may
affect the hair growth
 Hair care cosmetics consists of different products like hair shampoo,
hair tonics, hair growth promoters, hair oil, hair serum, hair conditioner,
hair colours, etc.
 Common herbs used in hair care preparations consists of brahmi,
castor oil, brhingraj, coconut oil, methi, hibiscus, amla, shikakai, neem,
henna etc

Brahmi

RAW MATERIALS USED IN ORAL CARE PREPARATIONS

 Oral care products are defined as the products used for care of the
teeth, mouth and oral cavity.
 Oral hygiene is a practice needed to keep the oral cavity clean and
disease free. It consists of cleaning of gums, teeth, tongue, lips and
dentures
 Oral care preparation consists of different products such as tooth
paste, mouth wash, gargles, tooth powder, dentifrices, Tooth whiteners
etc
 Raw materials from herbal source used for oral hygiene consists of
clove oil, pomegranate, neem, turmeric, garlic etc

UNIT III: HERBAL EXCIPIENTS

Excipients are the substances or compounds other than active
pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used in the formulation which is not
intended to exert therapeutic effects at the intended dosage.

According to International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council (IPEC),

excipients are the process aids or any substances other than API or pro-
drug included in pharmaceutical dosage forms

The excipient agents obtained from natural sources are called as herbal
excipients

Classification of excipients

 Primary excipients
Diluents, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, antiadhesives, glidents
 Secondary excipients
Colorants, flavours, sweeteners, coating agents, plasticizers, wetting
agents
 Miscellaneous excipients
Buffers, adsorbents, waxes

Characteristics of excipients

 It should be non-toxic
 Pharmacologically inert
 Physically and chemically stable
 Possess organoleptic characters
 It should be colour compatible
 Economical
 Acceptable from regulatory authorities in all countries

Functions of excipients

 Imparts weight, consistency and volume of dosage form

 Improves solubility
 Increases stability
 Enhance bioavailability
 Increase patient acceptability
 Assists in product identification

 Excipients are the agents used to enhance the quality and stability of
the drug substances
 They are pharmacologically inactive, improve the drug delivery, aid in
lubricity, flow ability, disintegration, taste and may confer some form of
antimicrobial function
 Excipients should be chemically stable, non-reactive, non-toxic, inert to
human body, process sensitive, acceptable organoleptic characters,
economical, efficient in regards to intended use
 Example for excipients are binders, diluents, disintegrating agents,
suspending agents, lubricants, sweeteners, surfactants, preservatives,
antioxidants, coloring agents, flavoring agents, viscosity builders,
perfumes etc

COLORANTS/ COLORING AGENTS

 Colorants are the excipients which comes under organoleptic agents

used to provide pleasant appearance to the various dosage forms
 Natural coloring pigments can be obtained from different sources
includes plant, animal, insects, minerals and microbes
 Natural colorants are eco-friendly, non-toxic, no/ less side effects, non-
carcinogenic in nature
 Colorants can be classified in to different categories which includes dye
and pigments in which dyes are the colorants that are soluble in water
that chemically bonds to the substrate to which it is being applied
whereas pigments are the colorants that are insoluble in water

SWEETENERS/ SWEETENING AGENTS

 Sweeteners are the agents obtained from natural as well as artificial

sources which impart sweet taste to the formulations
 The use of sweeteners is limited to chewable tablets and syrups
 Sweetening agents are the sugar substituents which provide sweet
taste but do not contain any kind of calories or carbohydrates
 Natural sweeteners are classified in to saccharide sweeteners
(saccharides - Honey) and Non- saccharide sweeteners (distributed in
different plant families – terpenoids, dihydro coumarin)
 They should be effective in smaller concentration and should be stable
in wide range of temperature

BINDERS/ BINDING AGENTS

 Binding agents are the excipients used in the formulation to bind or

hold the active ingredient with the other excipients present in the
formulation
 These agents consists of different polymer compounds which might
obtained from natural or synthetic sources
 Synthetic sources includes methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl
pyrolidone
 Whereas natural binders consists of plants (acacia, Tragacanth), animal
(chitin, chitosan), microbial (dextran, xanthan), marine (alginic acid,
agar) sources
 Binders used in the formulation are either in a solution or in a dry form
depending on the ingredients present in it as well as the method of
preparation and they classified in to solution binders (binders dissolved
in suitable solvent) and dry binders (added as a powder blend)
 Binders are agents employed to impart cohesiveness to the granules
 Apart from binding action, these agents improves flow qualities of
granules

DILUENTS/ FILLERS

 Diluents are the agents used to increase the bulk volume and content
uniformity of a dosage form (tablets)
 When the drug dosage is inadequate, diluents produce tablets of
adequate size & weight
 The range of diluent may vary from 5-80%
 Diluents can be classified in four major classes which includes natural
diluents (Starch, soyabean powder), organic diluents (Lactose, sucrose,
Mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol), inorganic diluents (dibasic calcium
phosphate, tribasic calcium phosphate) and co-processed diluents
(sugar tab – combination of two or more diluents)
 Diluents can also be classified based on solubility like water soluble
(lactose, sucrose, Mannitol, sorbitol) and water insoluble diluents
(starch, powdered cellulose, calcium phosphates)

VISCOSITY BUILDERS/ THICKENING AGENTS

 Viscosity builders are also called as thickeners which will increase the
viscosity of a liquid formulation without changing its other properties
 The thickness of the formulation will define the flow property,
consistency along with the patient acceptance

DISINTEGRANTS/ DISINTEGRATING AGENTS

 Disintegrating agents are the excipients which helps to breakdown the

drug formulation in to smaller particles by means of disintegration
 It functions by drawing water in to the tablet, swelling it and causing
the tablet to burst apart
 Disintegrants can be classified in to different classes which includes
natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic disintegrants
o Natural disintegrants: Alginic acid, bentonite, guar gum,
powdered cellulose
o Semi-synthetic disintegrants: carboxymethyl cellulose,
carmellose sodium
o Synthetic disintegrants: crospocidon

FLAVORS/ FLAVORING AGENTS

 Flavors are the excipients used to mask unpleasant tasting active

ingredients and improve the acceptance by the patient
 Flavors can be divided in to two different categories which includes
natural and artificial flavoring agents
 Natural flavors consists of essential oil, oleoresin, extracts obtained
from natural sources with flavoring constituents

PERFUMES
 UNIT III: HERBAL FORMULATIONS
Novel Dosage form – Phytosomes

Phytosomes are the advanced form of herbal formulations which contains

bioactive phytoconstituents of herbal extracts surround and bound by lipid
layer

The term phyto means plant and some means cell like. Phytosomes are
the cell like structures which consists of phytoconstituents in it

Most of the bioactive constituents are water soluble in nature like

flavonoids, glycosides etc

Chemical composition of Phytosomes

 It is a complex between natural compound and natural phospholipid

 The reaction between phospholipid and the substrate in an appropriate
solvent like glycerol leads to the formation of complex called
phytosomes
 The complex formation is due to the formation of hydrogen bonds
between polar head of phospholipid and polar functionalities of
substrate
 Then the complex is treated with water which leads to the formation of
micelle shape structures that resembles liposomes
 Phytosomes Liposomes
Active chemical constituent Active principles is dissolved in the
molecules are attached through medium of cavity or in the layer of
chemical bonds to the polar head of membrane
phospholipids
Chemical bonds are formed No chemical bonds are formed with
the drug
Phosphatidylcholine and plant In this hundreds or thousands of
compound form 1:1 or 2:1 complex Phosphotidylcholine molecules
depending on the substance surround the water soluble
molecule
Better bioavailability Slower bioavailability

Advantages

 It enhance the absorption of the drug

 Reduces the dose requirement
 Phosphotidylcholine acts as hepatoprotective which provides
synergistic effect
 Proper delivery of the drug has been assured
 Shows better bioavailability

Disadvantages
 It may show problems related to stability
 Phytoconstituents may eliminated quickly from phytosomes

Different techniques to prepare phytosomes

1. Solvent evaporation technique

 Take phospholipids
 Dissolve it with organic solvents which contains drug extract
 Dry it or solvent evaporation should be done to form a thin film
 Conduct the hydration process
 It leads to the formation of phytosomal suspension

2. Anti-solvent precipitation technique

3. Rotary evaporation technique

Marketed Products

 Casperome – Boswellia phytosomes

 Gingko select – Gingko biloba phytosomes
 Mervia – Curcuminoids phytosomes
 Quercefit – Quercetin phytosomes
 Berbevis – Berberine phytosomes
 Vazguard – Bergamort phytosomes