Exploring Benefits of Cow Ghee as a Natural Ointment Base for Ayurvedic Formulations

Cow ghee, a pure animal fat derived from milk and known as clarified butter, is used in Ayurvedic medicine for its numerous benefits like deep tissue penetration and absorption properties. It exhibits antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties, establishing itself a useful ingredient for the treatment of skin diseases. Ointment bases, which are semisolid formulations for skin or mucous membrane application, can be categorized into hydrocarbon, absorption, water-removable, and water-soluble types. The present study focused on formulating and assessing ointment bases using cow ghee alongside conventional options.

The study utilized various ointment bases including cetostearyl alcohol, stearic acid, glyceryl monostearate, and different types of paraffin and wax and cow ghee. Stability tests were conducted according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, evaluating parameters like color, appearance, odor, consistency, pH, spreadability, extrudability, loss on drying, solubility, and washability.

The results showed that:

• The cow ghee-based ointment bases combined with conventional bases proved stable.
• They possessed favorable characteristics such as a non-greasy texture, appealing appearance, and compatibility with various medications. 
• Cow ghee based formaultions demonstrated good spreadability, extrudability, and solubility, enhancing their effectiveness as carriers for active ingredients.

To summarize, this study highlighted the cow ghee's potential as a natural ointment base for Ayurvedic formulations. The stability and desirable physicochemical properties of the cow ghee-based ointments suggest that it can serve as a cost-effective and accessible alternative for therapeutic applications and as a vehicle for active components.

Source: Wawre MB, Khobragade D, Mundhada D. An Emerging Approach for Optimization of Cow Ghee as an Ointment Base in Combination With Selected Conventional Bases. Cureus. 2023 Mar 22;15(3):e36556. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36556. PMID: 37095810; PMCID: PMC10122110.