| dc.description.abstract | Higher exposure to solar radiation may cause skin diseases due to the harmful
effects of sunburn. Sunscreen is one of best methods to prevent solar-induced skin
cancers and sunburns. Sunscreens consist of natural constituents are less side
effects than synthetic sunscreens. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the
photoprotective activity of leaf extracts of Atalantia ceylanica (Yakinaran) and
Hibiscus furcatus (Napiriththa) and formulate a sunscreen gel. Extracts were
prepared by maceration with methanol. The absorbance of each leaf extract was
measured using a UV-spectrophotometer. Sun protection factor (SPF) was
calculated using the Mansur equation. A gel base was developed. A gel was
developed incorporating freeze-dried leaf extracts into the gel base. SPF of
formulated gel was determined. The stability of the gel formulation was tested over
three months. As per the results, SPF of 1 mg/mL concentration of the herbal gel,
reference product; Heliocare Ultra and leaf extracts of A. ceylanica and H. furcatus
were 27.31, 30.79, 21.07 and 30.68, respectively. The stable gel formulation
demonstrated a 27.31 SPF value and the reference product demonstrate 31.45 SPF
value. A gel formulation with 1mg/mL extract was stable throughout 90 days at
room temperature. It can be concluded that the gel formulation with 1mg/mL
extract showed outstanding photoprotective activity, physicochemical properties
and stability. These findings may create a new dimension for manufacturing
sunscreens using herbal plants. | en_US |
