Author(s):

FP Merlin, WD Ratnasooriya and RN Pathirana

Abstract: This study aimed at investigating the sun protective activity and phytochemical profile of Rauvolfia tetraphylla. Application of sun screen formulations is essential to protect the skin from harmful Ultra Violet radiation that causes inflammation, erythema (sunburn), hyperpigmentation (tanning), local immuno suppression, irritation, and skin cancers. Some commercially available sunscreen preparations exhibit side effects and they are relatively expensive. At present, there is a huge demand for efficacious, cheap, safe and herbal sunscreens having broad spectrum sun protective activity. As such, a natural plant extract of Rauvolfia tetraphylla was studied for its sun protective activity. Its in vitro sun protective activity was assessed by determining the sun protection factor (SPF) in Methanol Leaf Extract of R. tetraphylla by using UV spectroscopic technique and Mansur equation. The SPF values of R. tetraphylla and the reference drug Dermatone® were found to be 19.27 and 33.73 respectively at the concentration 0.4mg/mL. The phytochemical analysis performed for R. tetraphylla revealed the presence of phenols, carbohydrates, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, quinones, steroids and terpenoids in both aqueous and methanol. As artificial sunscreens have adverse effects, there is an increasing demand for novel findings that is safe and consumer friendly. It is concluded that R. tetraphylla leaves has the capability to be developed into a topical sunscreen.

Pages: 2063-2067  |  1182 Views  670 Downloads

Download (764KB)