COAGULATION OF MILK AS AN INDEX OF ASTRINGENCY OF THE BARK EXTRACT OF BRIDELIA-FERRUGINEA BENTH AND LIME JUICE FOR THE FORMULATION OF A TRADITIONAL GARGLE OGUN-EFU

The extent of the coagulation of milk by the ethanolic extract of bark of Bridelia ferruginea and lime juice has been used to determine the effective concentrations of these two major astringent ingredients of a traditionally prepared herbal gargle ‘Ogun Efu’. Optimal concentrations of the bark extract and lime juice, respectively, were required to give maximum coagulate heights. Combinations of the bark extract with lime juice resulted in a synergistic effect on the coagulate heights obtained. The concentrations of Bridelia bark extract and lime juice (when combined) that gave the highest coagulate height were used as the basis for the laboratory formulation of the gargle. The coagulate heights obtained with the laboratory formulated products, compared with those obtained with the traditionally prepared products, indicate that the milk coagulation test method for the determination of the effective concentrations of the two ingredients is dependable. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.