Abstract
Objective: This research aimed to qualitatively determine the chemical compound constituents, antioxidant capacity, and sun protection factor (SPF) value of extract of the leaves of Melastoma malabathricum L. using GC-MS. Methods: The detected compounds were identified by processing the raw GC-MS data using ChemStation software and comparing results with the NIST mass spectral database. Antioxidant capacity was measured using 1,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The SPF contained in the n-hexane and chloroform fractions separated from the ethanol extract of the leaves of Melastoma malabathricum L was identified. Results: The GC-MS test results revealed that 21 and 29 peaks of separation occurred in the n-hexane and chloroform fractions. The highest peak values are hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (a fatty acid group also known as palmitic acid) (100%) in the n-hexane and chloroform fractions. The highest chemical content in n-hexane and chloroform fractions was obtained at 20 min. The thin-layer chromatography (TLC) results indicated that the n-hexane and chloroform fractions contained steroid and terpenoid compounds. The antioxidant capacity test using DPPH showed that the n-hexane and chloroform fractions of ethanol extract of the leaves of Melastoma malabathricum L had IC50 values of 49.2±7.9 g/ml and 11.3±3.65 g/ml, respectively. Using FRAP, the IC50 values of the n-hexane and chloroform fractions were identified as 365.2±133.6 g/ml and 80.8±8.9 g/ml, respectively, categorizing them as strong and weak antioxidants. SPF testing produced SPF values for the n-hexane and chloroform fractions of ethanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum L leaves of 11.7±0.1 and 21±0.4, respectively. Conclusion: The study results show that the antioxidant activity and the SPF values of the chloroform fraction are greater than those of the n-hexane fraction. In conclusion, the n-hexane and chloroform fractions are found to have antioxidant properties in the weak and solid categories and the ability to protect against sunlight in the vulnerable category.
Highlights
This study examined the chemical content of the separated compounds in ethanolic extract of the plant Melastoma malabathricum L. using different solvent polarities, namely n-hexane and chloroform
Details of the n-hexane and chloroform fractions of ethanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum L. obtained in this study are presented in table 1
Confirmation tests of secondary metabolites of n-hexane and chloroform fractions of ethanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum L. were performed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), as presented in fig. 1
Summary
Sunlight affects human skin via UV radiation, causing sunburn, skin cancer, skin pigmentation, and premature aging. It is, necessary to develop sunscreen formulations to protect against sunburn, skin cancer, and early skin aging [1]. Ultraviolet C emission (UVC) is the most dangerous UVC light that can cause mutagenicity and erythematous. UVB affects the stratum corneum of the skin and can trigger the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine, serotonin, and prostaglandins that causes capillary dilation and the development of erythema and edema [3, 4]. UVA radiation penetrates the deeper layers of the dermis and impairs normal cell function, affecting blood vessels and collagen fibers. UVA light indirectly affects cellular DNA by generating reactive oxygen species [2]
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