Abstract

DEVELOPMENT, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI CANCER ACTIVITY OF TOPICAL FORMULATION CONTAINING ENICOSTEMMA LITTORALE BLUME EXTRACT

Pratima Jayasawal*, Ajay Kumar Sah, Hariom Prasad Chaurasiya and Pramod Sarraf

ABSTRACT

Objective: Excessive skin exposure to the sun may cause a lot of side effects due to the action of UVA and UVB rays. Several studies have shown that polyphenols inhibit the reactive oxygen species’ formation as their "scavengers", reduce the penetration of UVB rays to sensitive tissues, neutralize free radicals, and because of their antioxidant properties, participate in the prevention and treatment of many diseases caused by UVB rays. The use of cosmeceuticals rich in polyphenolic compounds represents a good basis for health improvement and prevention of UV related chronic diseases. The arial part of Enicostemma littorale Blume contains a large number of biologically active antioxidant substances, and their extracts can be potentially used for the prevention and/or treatment of many skin diseases caused by oxidative stress. Methods: In the present investigation the topical formulations i.e., creams were prepared and were evaluated following inclusion of fractionized ethanolic extract of Enicostemma littorale Blume containing flavonoids. Also, the antioxidant and anti-cancer effect of this plant extract alone and after addition in the formulation was evaluated using chemiluminescence and the stable free radical 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Dalton's lymphoma ascetics cells (DLA) cell lines assays. Result: Formulations with plant extracts alone and the formulation containing ethanolic extract showed great antioxidant and anti-cancer activities.

Keywords: Enicostemma littorale Blume, Cream, Antioxidant activity, Anticancer activity.