Formulation of grape seed oil and hibiscus extract for treatment of acne: optimization using D-optimal design and in vitro characterization

Musallam, Abeer A.; Elmahboub, Yasmina; Attalla, Kristina Zarif; Elfarouk, Omar; Aly, Norhan; Bligh, Lydia; Essam, Marim; Ali, Mayar; Abdelhamied, Eman; Kotb, Mohamed; Abd El Galil, Rania M.; Aldeeb, Reem A.

doi:10.21608/jpsdm.2025.374487.1030

Formulation of grape seed oil and hibiscus extract for treatment of acne: optimization using D-optimal design and in vitro characterization

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

¹ Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Manufacturing, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza 12566, Egypt

² College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Manufacturing, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza 12566, Egypt

10.21608/jpsdm.2025.374487.1030

Abstract

Background: Teenagers are the main demographic affected by acne vulgaris, also referred to as acne. In the pursuit of effective therapeutic ingredients for managing acne, grape seed oil, hibiscus extract, Borax, Beeswax, soft paraffin, and vitamin E are used. Given the popularity of cream formulations among teenagers, we have chosen this formulation to incorporate active ingredients because they have potential benefits, including antioxidants, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. Our cream falls into the category of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, which provide distinct advantages such as enhanced moisturization and the establishment of a long-lasting protective barrier on the skin.
Methods: To establish correlations between the independent variables (surfactant type and surfactant concentration) and dependent variables (pH, spreadability, and viscosity), we employed the D-optimal design using Design-Expert^®️software. In-vitro characterization tests were conducted on the topical cream to ensure homogeneity and absence of phase separation. The cream's appearance, like color, pearlescence, roughness, and washability, was evaluated.
Results: We assessed the pH, viscosity, and spreadability across 2² factorial designs, and four formulations (F1, F2, F3, and F4) were obtained. Based on the results, we selected the optimal formulation, which was F1. It exhibited a pH of 5.5, a spreadability value of 66 g·cm/s, and a viscosity of 520 cps.
Conclusions: These parameters were deemed favorable for achieving the desired properties, such as moisturizing ability, acceptable consistency, good spreadability, and a balanced pH, with the absence of irritants, and ensuring an efficacious cream formulation.

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