Development and evaluation of antioxidant and antibacterial herbal cream with Elateriospermum tapos Blume seed oil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55674/cs.v18i1.264320Keywords:
Antioxidant activity; Antibacterial activity; Elateriospermum tapos Blume oil; Herbal cream; Omega fatty acidAbstract
In this study, an herbal cream incorporating Elateriospermum tapos Blume seed oil was developed and evaluated, highlighting the oil’s unique composition of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids confirmed by GC-MS. This study presents E. tapos, a locally plentiful but underutilized Southeast Asian seed oil, as a novel bioactive ingredient, distinguishing itself from previous herbal cream formulations that predominantly utilize common plant oils due to its unique profile of polyunsaturated fatty acids and phytochemicals. The cream's antioxidant capacity, measured by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP tests, showed that it was better at scavenging radicals and reducing ferric ions than the base cream. The formulation also exhibited notable antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones of 27.25 ± 0.87 mm against Cutibacterium acnes and 25.17 ± 1.20 mm against Staphylococcus epidermidis, both Gram-positive skin-associated bacteria. The E. tapos oil cream was developed, and it showed the strongest antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals with an IC50 of 32.67 ± 1.34 mg L⁻¹ and 17.97 ± 0.04 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The resulting formulation possessed desirable physicochemical properties, including skin-compatible pH, homogeneity, and stability. Overall, this study provides the first scientific validation of E. tapos seed oil as a high-value cosmetic ingredient and demonstrates its potential for developing natural anti-acne and antioxidant topical products, supporting future dermatological applications and value-added utilization of a regional botanical resource.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
HIGHLIGHTS
- Herbal cream formulated with tapos seed oil, containing ω-3, ω-6, and ω-9 fatty acids confirmed by GC-MS.
- Cream showed strong antioxidant activity (IC50: DPPH 40.45 ±1.80 mg L-1; ABTS 23.15 ±0.01 mg L-1) and antibacterial effects against epidermidis and C. acnes.
- Developed cream had homogeneous texture, skin-friendly pH, pleasant odor, and potential as a natural topical product for skin infections.
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