DEVELOPMENT OF A KNEE PAIN RELIEF GEL USING AUNT PO’S HERBAL FORMULATION FOR PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

This study involves research and development aimed at enhancing a herbal knee pain relief gel, "Aunt Por," specifically for patients suffering from osteoarthritis. The initiative arises from consumer dissatisfaction with the odor, texture, and packaging of existing knee-mask powder products. The development process consists of four stages: 1) Investigating the total phenolic compound content in various herbs using the Folin-Ciocalteau method and assessing their antioxidant properties through the DPPH assay; 2) formulating a knee pain relief gel based on the Aunt Por herbal recipe; 3) testing the efficacy of this newly developed gel on 120 osteoarthritis patients in Dong Jen sub-district, Phayao province; and 4) transferring this technology to 20 individuals involved in a community enterprise at a local health promotion hospital in Dong Jen.

            The study found that Aunt Por’s knee pain relief mask powder for osteoarthritis patients exhibited excellent free radical scavenging activity, reduced pain and inflammation, and possessed antimicrobial activity. These attributes made it suitable for development into a knee pain relief product. The herbal knee pain relief gel was developed from the Aunt Por knee pain relief mask powder. A 20% w/w water extract of herbs was used to create the gel. The gel had a clear texture, brown color, moderate viscosity, no layer separation, and an average pH of 6.5. During the assessment of adverse reactions in the study volunteers, it was observed that none of the volunteers experienced any irritation. Furthermore, all volunteers expressed high satisfaction with this herbal gel product for knee pain relief. The findings of this research contributed to the enhancement of community enterprises by increasing revenue, preserving indigenous knowledge, and facilitating the transfer of technology to community enterprise members. Emphasis is placed on improving packaging for consumer convenience and attractiveness, thereby promoting usability.