Enhanced Sun Protection Factor Of Octocrylene With Green Tea And Bhringraj Extracts.

The overexposure of human skin to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can trigger photodamage, UV burn, pigmentation, erythema, and enhance the chance of dermal carcinoma. UVR causes DNA damage, leading to dermal cancer. Daily sunscreen application protects the skin from the adverse effects of sun rays, particularly UVB (290-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm). The ozone layer filters UVC (200-290 nm) radiation upon entry into the Earth's atmosphere. UVB causes sunburn, photo damage, and induces mutagenic changes in nucleic acids. UVA increases ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) accumulation. ROS is responsible for cell repair, leading to carcinogenesis and photodamage. Herbal extracts containing polyphenols and flavonoids act as natural sunscreens that filter UVB light and possess antioxidant characteristics to modulate UV-induced Reactive Oxygen Species production. To achieve higher UV protection in sun care products, it is essential to incorporate herbal extracts with enhanced UVR protection. An approach for preparing sun care products with higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) involves oil-in-water formulation with combinations of herbal extracts and octocrylene. The developed sunscreen composition containing different concentrations of herbal extracts was evaluated for their physicochemical properties and stability. In vitro SPF was studied for Camellia Sinensis (Green tea) Leaf Extract and Eclipta prostrata (bhringraj) leaf extract individually and in combination with octocrylene. The results of the in vitro SPF study revealed that Camellia Sinensis (Green tea) Leaf Extract with octocrylene exhibits a better Sun Protection Factor than Eclipta prostrata (bhringraj) leaf extract with octocrylene. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) enhancement value of sunscreen compositions was compared to both sunscreen macroemulsion and nanoemulsion.