Formulation and Evaluation of Transdermal Gel with Wound Healing and Anti-inflammatory Properties Derived from Calendula officinalis

Abstract

Calendula officinalis (pot marigold) has been traditionally used in folk medicine for its prominent wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to formulate and evaluate transdermal gel formulations (F1-F5) containing standardized Calendula officinalis extract. Five different formulations were prepared using various gelling agents and carriers to optimize the physicochemical and biological properties. The gels were evaluated for appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, in vitro permeation, stability, and anti-inflammatory activity. Results demonstrated that formulation F3, containing Carbopol 940 as the gelling agent, exhibited superior performance with optimized viscosity, spread ability, and consistent drug release profile. In vitro wound healing assay revealed significant fibroblast proliferation with F3 formulation, while anti-inflammatory studies showed inhibition of TNF-α and IL-6 cytokine production comparable to standard anti-inflammatory agents. Stability studies confirmed the robustness of the formulations under accelerated storage conditions. The findings validate the potential of Calendula derived transdermal gel as a promising therapeutic agent for topical wound healing and inflammatory skin conditions.