Abstract
Natural substances extracted from plants have recently been considered as potential sunscreen resources owing to high ultraviolet ray absorption and antioxidant activity. The decrease in the intensity of UV radiation reaching the skin through sunscreens may reduce the risk of sun-induced skin cancer. The present study attempts to develop sunscreen lotions, possessing broad spectrum of anti-UV radiation effectiveness with reduced concentration of chemical UV filters, from the extracts of bioactive products such as Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), Aloe vera (Liliaceae) and Alpinia galanga Willd. The effectiveness of the product was evaluated using Sun Protection Factor (SPF). Curcumin was selected as potential bioactive agents due to their phytochemical compositions possessing considerable content of polyphenolic compounds and Alpinia galanga is used as key ingredient in various commercial sunscreen lotions as it has skin protectant action against UV rays and boosts the activity of conventional sunscreens. The sunscreen lotions were prepared using three different compositions F1, F2 and F3 and evaluated for their stability, safety and SPF. Results showed that the sunscreen lotions were non-mutagenic, non-irritant, stable and possess SPF for normal skin. The efficacy when tested with a standard was observed to be same as that of a marketed sunscreen with SPF 55 and SPF 20. From the present study, formulation F2 having curcumin extract was proved to be stable and effective with high SPF compared to F1 and F3.
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Acknowledgements
The authors express their sincere thanks to Padmashri Dr. M. MohanBabu, Chairman, Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Trust, Tirupati, India for providing the necessary facilities to carry out this work.
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Rasheed, A., Shama, S.N., Mohanalakshmi, S. et al. Formulation, characterization and in vitro evaluation of herbal sunscreen lotion. Orient Pharm Exp Med 12, 241–246 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-012-0069-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-012-0069-z