Abstract 

Citronella oil (Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle) contains citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol, which exhibit notable antimicrobial properties, making it a promising active ingredient for anti-dandruff cream bath formulations. Dandruff is characterized by excessive desquamation of the scalp, often associated with microbial activity, including the yeast Candida albicans. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical quality and antifungal activity of creambath formulations enriched with citronella oil. The essential oil was obtained through steam distillation and met quality specifications, including acceptable organoleptic characteristics, a refractive index of 1.483, a specific gravity of 0.890 g/mL, and a citronellal content of 41.720%. Determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against C. albicans yielded a value of 4%. Citronella oil was then incorporated into creambath formulations at concentrations of 5% (F1), 10% (F2), and 15% (F3). Physicochemical evaluation demonstrated that all formulations met quality requirements for pH, viscosity, spreadability, homogeneity, and emulsion type. Antifungal testing revealed that higher concentrations of citronella oil produced larger inhibition zones against C. albicans, with F3 exhibiting the most vigorous activity. These results indicate that citronella oil is a potential natural active ingredient for developing antifungal cream bath products.