Formulation and Clinical Efficacy of Myrrh Extract in Hard Gelatin Capsules

Abstract

The development of myrrh extract from natural origin capable of eradication of schistosomal infections has gained the interest of many scientists. Recently; myrrh extract is considered as the drug of choice from natural origin used to treat Schistosomiasis. This work includes the preparation of myrrh extract by maceration and the formulation of these extracts in hard gelatin capsules as a pharmaceutical dosage form followed by clinical investigation of the effectiveness of these capsules. As a result, myrrh extract capsules with different doses showed a variable effectiveness against Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) with different severity but n-hexane extract capsules showed better effectiveness in comparison to alcohol extract capsules. The percent cure increased by increasing the treatment time. In additions the number of positive cases decreased by increasing the treatment time. On the contrary, increasing the severity of the infection from mild to heavy cases led to decrease the cure percent and increased the number of the positive cases. There was a significant reduction of infection intensity in cases which were incompletely cured. It could be concluded from these results that hard gelatin capsules of myrrh extract are highly effective as a pharmaceutical dosage form against Schistosomiasis.