PHYSICOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF A NEEM-LOADED BIOPOLYMER PEEL-OFF HYDROGEL MASK WITH ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AGAINST CUTIBACTERIUM ACNES

Topical therapies for acne vulgaris must be evaluated both in terms of antimicrobial activity and the feasibility of spreading over the skin. A biopolymer peel-off hydrogel mask loaded with neem extract and polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin, and Aloe vera gel was developed and tested. It was prepared using polymer blending and solvent casting techniques, and twelve formulations, T1–T12, were prepared. The physical appearance, morphology, flexibility, thickness, diameter, pH, freeze–thaw stability against Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) activity were evaluated. Optimization was progressive, which alleviated cracking, brittleness, and non-uniformity in structure. The formulation T12 showed the best profile in terms of excellent flexibility, homogeneity, dimensional consistency, and high freeze–thaw stability. Formulation pH values ranged from 5.21 to 5.79, and the pH of T12 was 5.79, which was skin-compatible. Among the three strains, T12 showed the highest inhibition zone for C. acnes, which was 17.2 mm. The results suggest that T12 is a promising formulation with active compounds extracted from neem, which, if standardized and properly compared, can be subjected to long-term stability tests, irritation testing, and clinical testing to translate into the daily care of acne.