Eco-Friendly Medicinal Soap with High Antimicrobial Efficacy: A Natural Formulation from Virgin Olive Oil and Eucalyptus globulus Essential Oil

This study aimed to formulate and characterize an eco-friendly medicinal soap by combining the saponifiable and emollient properties of virgin olive oil with the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of Eucalyptus globulus essential oil. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and characterized in accordance with ISO standards, while virgin olive oil was evaluated to ensure its suitability for saponification. Soap formulations were prepared using the hot saponification method and enriched with varying concentrations of essential oil (5%, 8%, and 12%) and 5% extra virgin olive oil. The resulting products were assessed for their organoleptic and physicochemical properties, as well as their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Antimicrobial efficacy was determined against selected ATCC bacterial and fungal strains using the agar diffusion method, while antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH assay. The extracted essential oil exhibited a yield of 0.8% and met standard physicochemical criteria. The formulated soaps demonstrated moderate yet significant antioxidant activity, reaching 47.53% at 12% essential oil concentration, and strong antimicrobial effects, particularly against Klebsiella pneumoniae (50 mm) and Escherichia coli (44.5 mm). The inclusion of extra virgin olive oil further improved the overall performance, indicating a synergistic interaction between olive oil polyphenols and eucalyptus bioactive compounds. These findings suggest a sustainable and effective approach for developing plant-based therapeutic soaps with promising applications in natural dermocosmetics and personal hygiene.