Preparation and evaluation of the oral gel containing the essential oil from Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.)]

Essential oil of the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) ranks among the substances with potential use in prevention and treatment of oral candidiasis. Therefore, the aim of the study was the formulation, preparation and evaluation of an oral gel containing 0.3% of this essential oil. Carbopol 974P NF in 1% concentration was used as the gelling agent, some samples were additionally stabilized by an addition of polysorbate 80 (0.1-0.5%). Xylitol in concentrations of 10% or 20% was added with the aim to modify the taste properties of the gel. Following microscopic evaluation (mean oil droplet size, degree of dispersity) immediately after preparation and after 6-month storage, it has been found that the optimal concentration of polysorbate 80 is 0.3%. The results of the experiment also demonstrated that xylitol was not only an excipient adjusting the organoleptic properties of the preparation - its use enabled significant improvement of the quality parameters and stability.