Application and evaluation of Cucumeropsis mannii Naud. seed oil in methyl salicylate liniment and salicylic acid lotion formulations

Abstract

Cucumeropsis mannii Naud. seed oil was obtained by soxhlet extraction using petroleum ether (40-60 °C). The oil was processed by bleaching, filtration, dewaxing, degumming and refining. The average values of the physico-chemical properties were determined. The oil was used to formulate batches of methyl salicylate liniment and salicylic acid lotion respectively. The products obtained were evaluated and compared with similar British Pharmaceutical Codex formulations of these drugs where castor oil was the oily component used. The liniment formulation containing Cucumeropsis mannii Naud. seed oil performed better than that containing castor oil; while the lotion formulations containing both oils had the same performance in terms of the amount of drug remaining at determined time intervals after storage.