The study of biological activities and development of Cleome viscosa L. extract protectionagainst insect bites from kerd drug formula of somdet phra sangharaj jao krom luang wachirayanawong

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the biological activities of Cleome viscosa L. extract for the development of a prototype herbal balm for the treatment of insect and venomous animal bites and to evaluate the physical stability of the developed formulation. C. viscosa was extracted using white liquor (40% alcohol) and lime juice as extraction solvents. The extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity using the DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and anti-inflammatory activity using the Griess assay. The extract exhibiting superior antioxidant activity was selected for formulation into a prototype herbal balm. The physical stability of the balm was assessed under accelerated heating–cooling conditions for 15 days and at room temperature for one month. The results demonstrated that the lime juice extract exhibited superior biological activity compared with the liquor extract. The lime juice extract contained a total phenolic content of 0.01 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g crude extract, showed anti-inflammatory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 0.056 ± 0.01 mg/mL, and exhibited antioxidant activity with a DPPH IC₅₀ value of 0.03 ± 0.02 mg/mL and a FRAP value of 0.19 ± 0.01 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract. In contrast, the liquor extract exhibited lower total phenolic content as well as weaker antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in all assays. Stability testing revealed that formulation 4 maintained the best physical stability under both room-temperature storage and accelerated heating–cooling conditions. These findings demonstrate that C. viscosa extracted with lime juice possesses promising biological activities and can be successfully developed into a prototype herbal balm. The developed formulation, particularly formulation 4, has potential for further development as a topical herbal product for relieving symptoms associated with insect and venomous animal bites.