Extraction of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate from kaempferia galanga and development of carboxymethyl cellulose-based hydrogel

Adverse effects associated with chronic use and withdrawal effects of topical steroids led to an increasing demand for non-steroid alternatives to the prescription drug. K. galanga has been used by traditional practitioners to treat many illnesses because of their abundance and economic viability. However, there is a research gap in the plant’s efficacy as a topical medication for the treatment of skin inflammation. The objectives of this research are to extract ethyl pmethoxycinnamate from K. galanga rhizome by maceration with n-hexane and determine its concentration using GC3MS, as well as to prepare hydrogels from K. galanga extract and to assess the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. K. galanga rhizomes were dried and ground before soaked in n-hexane (1:10) at room temperature for 48 hours and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated to a thick extract under reduced pressure and analyzed using GC3MS. Multiple compositions of the carboxymethyl cellulose-based hydrogels incorporating K. galanga rhizome extract were then prepared and assessed. The extraction method yielded 5.2619 g (2.63%) of crude K. galanga extract. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate was revealed to make up 43.68% of the total component of the extract. The products are non-sticky and nongreasy semi-solid hydrogels with mildly acidic pH, good adhesion, different colors and odors. F-C3 is chosen as the best formulation, however there’s a need to improve its pH to better suit the skin needs.