Flower Extracts from Ornamental Plants as Sources of Sunscreen Ingredients: Determination by In Vitro Methods of Photoprotective Efficacy, Antigenotoxicity and Safety

Abstract

Plants are sources of sunscreen ingredients that prevent cellular mutations involved in skin cancer and aging. This study investigated the sunscreen properties of the extracts from some ornamental plants growing in Colombia. The UV filter capability of the flower extracts obtained from Rosa centifolia L., Posoqueria latifolia (Rudge) Schult, and Ipomoea horsfalliae Hook. was examined. Photoprotection efficacies were evaluated using in vitro indices such as sun protection factor and critical wavelength. UVB antigenotoxicity estimates measured with the SOS Chromotest were also obtained. Extract cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were studied in human fibroblasts using the trypan blue exclusion and Comet assays, respectively. Major compounds of the promising flower extracts were identified by UHPLC–ESI+–Orbitrap–MS. The studied extracts showed high photoprotection efficacy and antigenotoxicity against UVB radiation, but only the P. latifolia extract showed broad-spectrum photoprotection at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The P. latifolia extract appeared to be safer for human fibroblast cells and the R. centifolia extract was shown to be moderately cytotoxic and genotoxic at the highest assayed concentrations. The I. horsfalliae extract was unequivocally cytotoxic and genotoxic. The major constituents of the promising extracts were as follows: chlorogenic acid, ecdysterone 20E, rhamnetin-rutinoside, cis-resveratrol-diglucoside, trans-resveratrol-diglucoside in P. latifolia; quercetin, quercetin-glucoside, quercetin-3-rhamnoside, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-glucoside, and kaempferol-rhamnoside in R. centifolia. The potential of the ornamental plants as sources of sunscreen ingredients was discussed.

Unveiling the mechanisms for the development of rosehip-based dermatological products: an updated review

“…Additionally, both extracts proved to have significantly lower cytotoxicity against MRC5 cells (>375.0 μg/mL) compared with commercial sunscreens, titanium dioxide (active ingredient) and the other evaluated specie (i.e., Ipomoea horsfalliae Hook. ); the latter proved to be genotoxic with poor photo-protective effect ( Fuentes et al, 2022 ). Rosehip ( R. kordesii petal extract) based gel proved to be stable during storage at 4°C and 30°C over the course of 4 months.…”

Plant Extracts as Skin Care and Therapeutic Agents

“…Some plants that are effective UV filters may be potential sunscreen ingredients [40]. These include plant extracts such as Astragalus gombiformis with an SPF value of 38 [41], Sloanea calva with an SPF value of 35.4 [42], Hylocereus polyrhizus with an SPF value of 35.02 [43] or Rosa centifolia with SPF values of 32 [44]. Moreover, plant extracts, through their synergistic effects with some physical or chemical UV filters (e.g., benzophenone-3 (BP-3), octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) or titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )), may also play a role as cosmetic components that enhance the SPF of sunscreen formulations [40].…”

Centranthus ruber (L.) DC. and Tropaeolum majus L.: Phytochemical Profile, In Vitro Anti-Denaturation Effects and Lipase Inhibitory Activity of Two Ornamental Plants Traditionally Used as Herbal Remedies

“…According to these observations, a number of recent studies focus on the in vitro properties of plant species mostly used as ornamental [5][6][7].…”