ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
This article is part of the Research TopicFrom the Field into the Lab: Natural Product Therapeutics and the Mechanisms Behind Healing and InnovationView all articles
Formulation and In vitro Evaluation of an Anti-inflammatory Herbal Suppository containing Peperomia pellucida
Provisionally accepted
W. A. D. J. Thanishka1D. M. W. L. Dassanayake1D. M. S. R. Dimbulgahamada1W. D. U. S. Fernando1
N. T. B. Dias1*H. H. V. K. N. De Silva2B. L. C. Samanmali3- 1Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, CINEC Campus, Malabe, Sri Lanka
- 2Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- 3Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka
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Introduction: Adverse effects associated with the anti-inflammatory medicines highlight the need for safer alternatives. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory characteristics and safety profile of Peperomia pellucida and to develop an anti-inflammatory herbal suppository using the plant extract. Methods: Methanolic and aqueous extracts of P. pellucida were assessed using 5-lipoxygenase inhibition assay, human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization assay, and egg albumin denaturation assay. The aqueous extract was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Test suppositories containing the aqueous extract of P. pellucida were formulated using several bases, physically characterized, and subjected to stability assessment for 60 days. Triplicate results were statistically analyzed at p > 0.05. Results: The highest percentage inhibition of hemolysis was exhibited by the aqueous extract at 5000 µg/mL (88.42%) compared to the methanolic extract (58.08%) at the same concentration in the HRBC membrane stabilization assay. This activity was further supported by the lower IC50 value of the aqueous extract (861.1 µg/mL). GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of a high abundance of long-chain fatty acids in the aqueous extract, including palmitic and myristic acids. The formulated suppositories exhibited acceptable weight uniformity (1.73 ± 0.00 g), hardness (8.12 ± 0.00 N), pH (7.53 ± 0.05), liquefaction time (534.2 ± 3.4 s), melting point (36 - 42 °C), and ex vivo drug permeation. No significant differences were observed in quality parameters between day 0 and day 60 (p > 0.05). Discussion: The relatively low IC50 value of the aqueous extract of P. pellucida demonstrated strong membrane stabilization, suggesting that distinct metabolite profile contribute significantly to its biological activity. Fatty acids identified by GC-MS may account for the observed biological membranes stabilizing activity. The successful formulation of the aqueous extract into a suppository was evidenced by its customary physicochemical properties. The results of ex vivo permeation study and the absence of significant changes following the two-month stability period confirms the efficacy and integrity of the dosage form. These findings support the potential of P. pellucida as a source for the development of novel, plant-based rectal therapeutics for inflammation-related conditions.
Keywords: 5-lipoxygenase inhibition, Hemolysis inhibition, herbal suppository, Peperomia pellucida, Rectal drug delivery systems
Received: 06 Oct 2025; Accepted: 20 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Thanishka, Dassanayake, Dimbulgahamada, Fernando, Dias, De Silva and Samanmali. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: N. T. B. Dias
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