Abstract:
This work aims to formulate a multifunctional soap enriched with plant extracts possessing chelating, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Three plants were selected: milk thistle, chlorella, and lemongrass. The essential oil of lemongrass, extracted by hydrodistillation, proved particularly effective against Escherichia coli, due to its high content of geranial and neral. Hydroalcoholic extracts of milk thistle and chlorella were optimized using a Box-Behnken experimental design; milk thistle showed strong antioxidant activity (FRAP) and metal-chelating capacity (IC₅₀ = 19 μg/mL). The resulting soap exhibited balanced physicochemical properties (pH, foaming, softness) and meets expectations for skin protection against environmental pollutants. These findings highlight the value of combining natural extracts in the development of active dermocosmetic formulations
