Fabrication and Evaluation of Oral Thin Film containing Cymbopogon citratus (DC). Stapf. Extract Based on Gelatine, Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose and Corn Starch Combination

Bad breath is a health issue characterized by unpleasant breath originating from the oral cavity, often caused by bacterial growth. One significant contributor to bad breath is the proliferation of bacteria responsible for dental caries, namely Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC). Stapf), known for the antibacterial properties, has long been used as a traditional remedy for treating bad breath. Therefore, this study aimed to develop Oral Thin Film (OTF) preparation containing lemongrass extract as one of the solutions to reduce bad breath. Lemongrass leaves were extracted using 96% ethanol through maceration. OTF preparation optimization was carried out by solvent casting method using 3% gelatin and variations of Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) and corn starch in 5 formulas (F1-F5), namely 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1, respectively. The evaluation criteria for the OTF included organoleptic test, weight uniformity, film thickness, pH, folding resistance, color assesment, disintegration time and antibacterial efficacy against S. mutans using the disc diffusion method. Stability tests were conducted at different temperatures (25°C and 40°C) over a period of 3 months. The OTF preparation had a uniform film weight, film thickness in the range of 0.2240 - 0.3415mm, pH value at 6.12-6.36, folding resistance at 339.67 - 579.50 times, and disintegration time at 60-105 s. Despite exhibiting good stability over a 3-month period, all films demonstrated weak antibacterial activity, as shown by inhibition zone diameters ranging from 7.8 to 8.7mm. The preparation of OTF loaded with Cymbopogon citratus leaf ethanolic extract yielded excellent physical characteristics.