Antioxidant and Antibacterial Test of Bidara (Ziziphus mauritiana) Leaf Extract and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Essential Oil for Cream Ingredients

Plants in nature offer numerous benefits to humans, such as bidara (Ziziphus mauritiana) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). Bidara possesses significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, cytoprotective, and antiulcer properties. Similarly, lemongrass is utilized in aromatherapy and has antibacterial and antioxidant benefits, among others. Both of these natural ingredients can be incorporated into a cream. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of bidara leaf extracts and lemongrass oil for use in cream formulations. The methods included extracting bidara leaves, preparing the cream, testing its stability, assessing its antioxidant capacity, evaluating its antibacterial properties, and conducting statistical analysis. The results indicated that both bidara leaf extract and the cream containing bidara leaf extract exhibited weak antioxidant properties. This may be due to the low concentrations of the extracts, which were insufficient to effectively neutralize DPPH free radicals. In terms of antibacterial activity, the extracts exhibited very low effectiveness against Escherichia coli but demonstrated strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus. This disparity may arise from the structural differences between the bacteria, as E. coli is a gram-negative bacterium with a more robust cell wall that can resist damage from the extracts.