Development and Evaluation of Hydrogel Wound Dressings Loaded with Herbal Extracts

The current study aimed to develop carbomer based hydrogel dressings, incorporating ethanolic extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis aerial parts, Achillea millefolium and Calendula officinalis flowers. The pharmaceutical properties of the obtained hydrogels, as well as their texture and antimicrobial activity, were further evaluated. Five wound dressing formulations based on carbopol were prepared. The addition of the ethanolic extracts to the formulation slightly lowered the pH of the hydrogels, as expected. The Rosmarinus officinalis aerial parts extract loaded hydrogel proved to be the firmest one. In terms of consistency and viscosity, the behavior of the five hydrogels was relatively similar. Based on the texture analysis, the texture of the hydrogels has been affected to some extent by the addition of the ethanolic extracts, decreasing their consistency, firmness, and adhesiveness. The hydrogel loaded with Rosmarinus officinalis aerial parts extract and the one incorporating the blend of extracts (mixture of the three above-mentioned extracts) proved to have a good antimicrobial activity. The studied hydrogel formulations could serve as a basis for the development of novel wound dressing materials, although more extended in vivo studies would be needed in order to support current results.