Formulasi dan Evaluasi Fisik Suspensi Topikal Ekstrak Daun Kelor (Moringa oleifera L.) dalam Pengembangan Sediaan Antijamur Herbal

Fungal skin infections caused by a yeast called Malassezia furfur are a persistent problem in tropical climates, where warm, humid conditions allow the organism to thrive. Researchers in Indonesia set out to explore whether an extract from moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves could be turned into a stable, usable topical suspension — essentially a liquid medicine applied to the skin — with genuine antifungal potential. The team created four versions of the suspension: a control formula with no extract, and three active formulas containing 9%, 10%, and 11% moringa leaf extract. They then put each formula through a battery of physical tests — checking appearance, smell, texture, how evenly the extract was distributed through the liquid, acidity (pH), thickness (viscosity), and how well the preparation stuck to skin (adhesiveness). Stability was assessed over 12 days using a cycling test, which repeatedly shifts the product between warm and cool temperatures to simulate storage stress. All three active formulas passed the basic physical quality checks: they looked acceptable, mixed evenly, and fell within the pH range considered safe for skin contact. However, pH drifted slightly during storage, and adhesiveness varied across testing cycles, suggesting the formulas are not yet fully stable. The researchers concluded that moringa leaf extract can be incorporated into a topical suspension at these concentrations without immediate physical failure, but that further work is needed to lock in stability before the product could be considered ready for real-world use. No antifungal efficacy testing against live Malassezia furfur was conducted in this study.