Plants growing in Colombia as sources of active ingredients for sunscreens

Introduction Plants can be sources of photoprotective/antigenotoxic compounds that prevent cellular mutations involved in skin cancer and aging by regulating UV-induced mutability. Purpose The study was aimed at investigating the sunscreen properties of plants growing in Colombia. Materials and methods Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-absorption capability of different plant extracts was examined. In vitro photoprotection efficacies were evaluated using in vitro indices such as sun protection factor (SPFin vitro) and critical wavelength (lambda c). Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between SPFin vitro and complementary UVB- antigenotoxicity estimates (%GI) based on the SOS Chromotest database. The cytotoxicity in human fibroblasts was studied using the trypan blue exclusion assay. Major compounds of promising plant extracts were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results We showed that plant extracts have sunscreen properties against UVB, whereas broad-spectrum radiation protection efficacy was poor. SPFin vitro and %GI were correlated (R = 0.71, p < .0001) for the plant extracts under study. Three extracts obtained from Achyrocline satureioides, Chromolaena pellia, and Lippia origanoides species resulted to possess high protection efficacy and relatively low cytotoxicity in human fibroblasts. These plant extracts contained major compounds such as alpha-pinene, trans-beta-caryophyllene, gamma-muurolene, gamma-cadinene and caryophyllene oxide in A. Satureioides extract, trans-beta-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, squalene and alpha-amyrin in C. pellia extract, and p-cymene, carvacrol, trans-beta-caryophyllene and pinocembrin in L. origanoides extract. Conclusions Plants growing in Colombia contain compounds that can be useful for potential sunscreens. SPFin vitro and %GI estimates were correlated, but %GI estimates were more sensitive to detecting activity at lower plant extract concentrations. Our results supported the need to use DNA damage detection assays as a complement to photoprotection efficacy measurement.