Formulation of an Antimicrobial Ointment Based on Senna alata (L.) Leaves Roxb (Fabaceae) for the Topical Treatment of Ringworm and Tinea
Frank Lionnel Toloum*, Nentcherse Mbere, Esther Ngah and Djim-Ajim-Ngana Karyom
ABSTRACT
Fungal skin infections such as ringworm and tinea capitis represent a public health concern due to resistance and side effects of conventional treatments. This
study aims to formulate an antimicrobial ointment based on the leaves of Senna alata harvested along the banks of the Benue River in the northern region of Cameroon and to evaluate the in vitro activity of this extract against the causative agents of ringworm and tinea capitis. Chemical group screening was performed using a basic qualitative phytochemical analysis based on staining tests. The reference clinical microbial strains consisted of Malassezia. furfur (ATCC 14521), Trichophyton rubrum (ATCC 28188), Microsporum *M. canis* (ATCC 36299) and *M. canis* (ATCC 25923) were acquired from certified collections. The fungal strains were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and the bacteria on Mueller-Hinton Agar (MHA). The results show that the crude ethanolic extract of the leaves revealed the presence of six chemical groups: flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones, saponins, alkaloids, and steroids/ triterpenes. The extract demonstrated promising antimicrobial activity against all the tested strains. This extract proved effective by completely inhibiting the growth of *M. furfur* and *M. canis*. (MIC = 31.25 µg/ mL.); T. rubrum (MIC = 125 µg/ mL.) as well as S. aureus (MIC = 250 µg/ mL). Through its antimicrobial efficacy, ointments formulated with the ethanolic extract of S. alata leaves have shown significant dose-dependent antimicrobial activity in vitro. The P2 formulation (1%) demonstrated the largest zones of inhibition for all tested strains. Clinical observations revealed complete patient recovery after 19 days of treatment for tinea cruris and 26 days of treatment for ringworm. This preliminary work paves the way for dermatological safety research and in vivo clinical trials to validate this ointment as a natural and effective therapeutic option for targeted skin conditions.
