Formulation and Evaluation of Topical Preparations Containing Pyrolytic Oil Obtained from Local Biomass

Objectives: Pyrolytic oil of coconut shell was obtained by the fast pyrolysis method. This research aimed to identify the use(s) of pyrolytic oil in topical pharmaceutical formulations. The study included extraction of bio-oil by pyrolysis, physicochemical characterization, screening the oil for microbial activity, preformulation studies, formulation into suitable topical preparations like ointment, gel and cream, evaluation studies of the formulation and stability studies. Materials and Methods: The extracted pyrolytic oil was subjected to diversified physicochemical evaluation tests like specific gravity, acid/saponification/ester values, viscosity, moisture content, pH, thin layer chromatography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis. It was then screened for its potential for antibacterial/antifungal activity. Various topical formulations were prepared using the pyrolytic oil. Preformulation studies of the pyrolytic oil were carried out. This was formulated into suitable topical preparations like ointment, gel and cream and subjected to physicochemical evaluations which include appearance, pH, spread ability, viscosity and antimicrobial activity. Also, the formulations were evaluated for its stability. Results: The stability studies results showed no change in pH, spreadability and viscosity, thus indicating good stability of the formulations. The prepared formulations displayed good antibacterial and antifungal activity. Conclusion: The use(s) of pyrolytic oil have not been explored to its full potential for its pharmaceutical application. In this study, the pyrolytic oil showed good antimicrobial activity due to the presence of polyphenols. Hence it could be used as an effective topical formulation to cure various topical infections.