Antibacterial properties of crude aqueous Hylocereus polyrhizus peel extracts in lipstick formulation against gram-positive and negative bacteria

Development of natural formulated lipstick using natural bio resources namely plant pigments and essential oils was carried out as an alternative to chemical-based ingredients due to their side effects and damages to health. Hylocereus polyrhizus (Costa Rican Pitahaya, also more popularly known among Malaysian as “Dragon Fruit”) peels are normally treated as wastes and will be discarded during processing. In this study, the peel extracts were used in the lipstick formulation as a natural colorant. The antibacterial activity of the formulation against six pathogens was evaluated using disc diffusion method and broth micro-dilution method. The observation from disc diffusion method showed that extracts and formulated lipstick from H. polyrhizus were able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The observation from the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that all extracts inhibit the growth of bacteria in the range of 1.00-7.00 mg/mL for all bacteria while their minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) indicated double of the MIC concentration except for B. cereus, which shows very high resistance toward the extract. Even though there is no clear trend indicating which bacteria were sensitive most to the extract, it can be concluded that the water extract of H. polyrhizus peel showed potent antibacterial activity. Essential oils from H. polyrhizus flower and the combination of virgin coconut and olive oil that were added to the products for flavors and aroma have the potential as preservative due to their antibacterial properties. With the incorporation of natural ingredients, the lipstick is considered as a safe and attractive product, with multi-functional uses namely to prevent chapped lips, freshen the breath, reduces mouth odor and contributes in improving general health quality

Antioxidant, Anti-Collagenase, Anti-Elastase and Anti-Tyrosinase Activities of an Aqueous Cosmos caudatus Kunth (Asteraceae) Leaf Extract.

Cosmos caudatus Kunth (Asteraceae) or wild cosmos is traditionally used as a culinary and medicinal herb. The leaves and shoots of the plant are reputed to promote a younger skin complexion if consumed regularly. However, research to support its potential use as a cosmeceutical is lacking. This study investigated the antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-elastase and anti-tyrosinase activities of C. caudatus leaf water extract (CCW) in vitro to scientifically evaluate its potential as a cosmeceutical. The antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, anti-collagenase and anti-elastase activity were measured using fluorescence assays and anti-tyrosinase assay was measured by colorimetric assay. The DPPH and ABTS assays showed CCW to have IC50 values of 163.6 and 57.2 µg/mL, respectively. Significant collagenase, elastase and tyrosinase inhibitions were observed with 51.3, 63.7 and 72.7% inhibition, respectively at 1000 µg/mL CCW treatment, compared with controls. Flavonol glycosides derived from quercetin and kaempferol, and flavone C-glycosides derived from apigenin were the main compounds identified in CCW using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS. These results suggest the potential application of CCW as a cosmeceutical with antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, anti-tyrosinase activities