Formulation of antibacterial hand sanitizer gel supplemented with moisturizers from Aloe vera

Background: According to the WHO’s recommendations, hand washing is one of the most important ways to interrupt the transmission of infectious diseases. However, fast-acting hand sanitizers on the market are mainly composed of synthetic moisturizing agents, with very little combination of natural moisturizing ingredients such as Aloe vera (A. vera) extract from the Aloe plant. A. vera is a benign ingredient with effective moisturizing and antioxidant properties, making it ideal for supplementing moisturizing agents in gel products. Therefore, the study aimed to develop a formula for a fast hand sanitizer gel combining supplemented with A. vera as a moisturizing ingredient and to evaluate several characteristics of the resulting gel. Materials and methods: A. vera leaves, Carbopol 940, ethanol were used. The study involved investigating the concentration of the gelling excipient to create a favorable gel formulation. The hand sanitizer gel was evaluated for several physicochemical properties and antimicrobial efficacy. Results: The formula containing 15% A. vera (w/w), 65% ethanol, 1.5% Carbopol 940, 5% propylene glycol, and 0.8% triethanolamine met the quality specification and demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: The study successfully developed a antibacterial hand sanitizer gel supplemented with A. vera as moisturizers. Key words: Aloe vera, hand sanitizer gel, moisturizing agent.