Design of Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica) gel for topical use

Introduction. The problem of treating patients with wounds and wound infection of the skin continues to be relevant. The design of agents as gels containing biologically active substances from medicinal plant raw materials is of interest since their high efficacy with good tolerance and no pronounced adverse effect is expected. Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica) that contains polysaccharides and lichenic acids is a promising object. Objective: to develop a technology of a topical carbomer-based gel that contains biologically active substances from the Iceland moss thalli and to determine the antimicrobial activity of the gel obtained. Material and methods. The investigators extracted water-soluble polysaccharides from the Iceland moss thalli according to the method by N.K. Kochetkov and lichenic acids by percolation using 70% ethanol. The gel base was obtained by the addition of purified carbopol and the neutralizing agent triethanolamine to water by stirring. The microbiological purity of the series of the gel obtained was examined in accordance with the requirements of GPA 1.2.4.0002.18 «Microbiological purity» of the Russian Federation State Pharmacopoeia 14th edition (RF SP-14). The agar diffusion method was used to assess the antimicrobial activity of the gels obtained against 6 cultures of test microorganisms: Staphylococccusaureus, Bacillussubtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Results. Water-soluble polysaccharides and lichenic acids were obtained from the Iceland moss thalli. The compatibility of the gel base with the extracted substances was determined at different concentrations of carbopol. The resulting gel meets the microbiological purity requirements of the RF SP-14. The gel was found to have antimicrobial activity against the strains of S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and A. brasiliensis. Conclusion. The technology of a gel containing a complex of biologically active substances isolated from the Iceland moss thalli was developed. The obtained gel was ascertained to exhibit in vitro inhibitory activity against a number of bacteria and fungi (S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and A. brasiliensis).

Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach, Iceland moss, Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach, polysaccharides, lichenic acids, carbomers, gel, antimicrobial activity