PENGARUH GELLING AGENT CARBOPOL 940 PADA UJI SIFAT FISIK SEDIAAN HAND SANITIZER EKSTRAK DAUN KITOLOD (Isotoma longiflora L.)

Abstract

The kitolod plant (Isotoma longiflora (L.)) is a plant that has been empirically used by the general public as a traditional medicine and is known to have great potential as an antibacterial agent due to the various active compounds it contains. This study was conducted with the primary objective of determining the effect of varying concentrations of the gelling agent Carbopol 940 on the characteristics and physical properties of hand sanitizer gel formulations containing kitolod leaf extract. The research method used was an experimental method comparing three gel formulations differentiated based on Carbopol 940 concentration, namely F1 (0.5%), F2 (1%), and F3 (1.5%). The physical quality evaluation parameters tested included organoleptic observation, homogeneity test, pH, spreadability, tackiness, viscosity, and drying time. The results of the study indicate that variations in Carbopol 940 concentration significantly affect the results of organoleptic testing, pH, spreadability, adhesion, viscosity, and drying time. Formulation 2 (F2) with a 1% Carbopol 940 concentration was selected as the most optimal formulation organoleptically because it had a thick consistency and a drying time that best met the ideal range, namely 134 seconds. However, increasing the Carbopol 940 concentration also caused an increase in pH, viscosity, and adhesion, but resulted in a decrease in the formulation’s spreadability upon application. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the concentration of Carbopol 940 affects the physical quality of the kitolod extract hand sanitizer gel, where selecting the appropriate concentration is crucial for producing an effective and user-friendly product.