IN VITRO EVALUATION OF SUN PROTECTION FACTOR (SPF) OF A CREAM FORMULATION PREPARED FROM EXTRACTS OF MUSA ACCUMINATA (L.), PSIDIUM GUJAVA (L.) AND PYRUS COMMUNIS (L.)

Objectives: Use of phytoconstituents, especially obtained from fruits extract with high content of flavonoids has gained considerable importancein personal care products such as creams and lotions. Finding new results and data through experiments will be helpful for both researchers andindustry on the subject. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in-vitro sunscreen activity of a cream formulation containing the fruit extract ofMusa accuminata, Psidium gujava and Pyrus communis based on their flavonoid contents.Methods: Extraction of fruits to include maximum quantity of flavonoids was carried out using solvent system comprising of methanol (35%),ethanol (35%), and distilled water (30%). The cream was formulated and tested for the physicochemical parameters such as color, odor, pH andspreadability. While total flavonoid content was determined by aluminum chloride colorimetric method. The in-vitro sun protection factor (SPF) ofcream formulation and commercially available sunscreen was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometric method.Results: The total flavonoid content of cream formulation was found to be 45.81±8.49 and expressed in terms of standard quercetin equivalentμg/g. The SPF value for the cream formulation was recorded as 3.90, whereas commercially available sunscreen it was 12.26, indicating that creamformulation has photoprotective activity and may be used to develop a good cosmetic formulation and to explore its commercial viability.Conclusion: Use of phytoconstituents, especially those obtained from fruits extract with high content of flavonoids has gained considerableimportance in personal care products such as creams and lotions. Finding new results and data through experiments will be helpful for bothresearchers and industry on the subject. The proposed spectrophotometric method is simple and rapid for SPF determination. Due to the high costand time consumption relating to in vivo SPF determination andsome ethical issues for the volunteers, the in vitro method is gaining more importance.Keywords: Antioxidants, Formulation, In-vitro sun protection factor, Photoprotection, Fruit extract, Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy.Â