FORMULATION, OPTIMIZATION AND EVALUATION OF POVIDONE-IODINE AND TURMERIC CREAM FOR ANTISEPTIC ACTIVITY

Vaishnavi Pawar*, Prof. Dipali Hamde

Background: Skin wounds and superficial infections require topical formulations that can control microbial load while supporting tissue repair. Povidone-iodine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic, but repeated application may cause irritation and may not provide sufficient wound-healing support. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), rich in curcumin, offers antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity. Objective: The present work aimed to formulate, optimize and evaluate an oil-in-water topical cream containing povidone-iodine and turmeric for antiseptic activity. Methods: Preformulation studies included organoleptic evaluation, solubility testing, UV-visible spectrophotometry, FTIR and DSC compatibility analysis. Creams were prepared by the emulsification method using stearic acid and cetyl alcohol as critical formulation variables. A factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of these variables on viscosity, spreadability and drug release. The formulations were evaluated for appearance, homogeneity, phase separation, pH, viscosity, spreadability, drug content, in-vitro drug release, antimicrobial activity and stability. Results: Prepared creams were smooth, homogeneous and physically stable. The optimized formulation contained povidone-iodine 70 mg, turmeric 30 mg, stearic acid 80 mg, cetyl alcohol 50 mg and other excipients in a suitable cream base. The optimized formulation showed drug content of 96%, cumulative drug release of 96% at 8 h and zones of inhibition of 24 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and 22 mm against Escherichia coli. Stability testing for three months showed no visible change, no microbial contamination and only minor changes in pH, viscosity and spreadability. Conclusion: The povidone-iodine and turmeric cream demonstrated acceptable physicochemical quality, sustained drug release, antimicrobial activity and short-term stability, indicating its potential as a topical antiseptic formulation for wound and skin-infection management.