Medicated ointments: Methods of preparation, Mode of Action, Physico chemical characteristics- An overview

Abstract

Skin protects our body against the entry of microorganisms as well as serves as a barrier to loss of salts, body fluids, and maintains our body temperature. The need for an efficient drug delivery system through the skin is essential to reduce systemic toxicity. This has been achieved to a certain extent by the advent of ointments/malahara (as has been coined in Ayurveda). This review provides a detailed overview of the preparation, properties, mode of action, and therapeutic use of ointments/malahara/malham in the treatment of various skin disorders. Though there are articles published on ointments and Malahara separately, a review connecting the herbal ointments to Malahara has never been done before. This article aims to fill that gap.