Desenvolvimento de formulações semissólidas contendo óleo de mamona visando atividade antibacteriana

Abstract

Castor oil is widely used for various purposes, such as pain relief, skin and hair hydration, and nail strengthening, highlighting its aesthetic properties. In industrial contexts, castor oil is often utilized in biofuel production. Its chemical composition is remarkable, with about 90% of the oil being ricinoleic acid. This acid has a molecular structure with 18 carbon atoms, a double bond between carbons 9 and 10, and a hydroxyl group on carbon 12, which gives the oil its notable versatility. The growing bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics has motivated the search for natural and effective alternatives, with castor oil emerging as a promising ingredient due to its bioactive compounds that exhibit antibacterial properties. This work aims to develop and evaluate a semisolid formulation containing castor oil, focusing on its antibacterial activity and healing potential. The seeds of the plant Ricinus communis L., commonly known as castor bean, are a source of oil when subjected to extraction processes. The study involves analyzing the chemical composition of castor oil and incorporating it into a semisolid base subjected to quality control tests, including accelerated stability tests, organoleptic evaluations (such as appearance, color and odor), physicochemical assays (including pG determination, viscosity, and relative density measurements), and microbiological tests. The quality control results of the semisolid formulation were indeed satisfactory, meeting the expected standards according to the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia.