| Summary: | Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) poses significant deleterious effects on human well-being and increases the risks of getting skin cancers. Sunscreen is used topically as a defence against UVR. The photoprotection value of a sunscreen is represented as a sun protection factor (SPF). Co-formulation of sunscreen with natural phytoconstituents is a key to solving the problems related to the cumulative dissemination of synthetic UV filters into the environment with the worst being ecosystem contamination and coral bleaching. Quercetin, a compound derived from natural flavonoids, has a prominent occurrence in plants as well as sun protection activities due to its UV-absorbing properties. Six edible plants and fruits high in quercetin content were tested for their photoprotective activity. Mint (Mentha piperita) leaves, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) skin, apple (Malus domestica) skin, asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), banana (Musa acuminata) peels, and basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaves were extracted using 99.8% methanol. The quercetin content of the extracts was determined and quantified using analytical high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. The photoprotective activity for each plant sample was calculated based on their ultraviolet absorption capacity. The relationship between quercetin content and photoprotective effect was computed using correlation and regression analysis. Ocimum basilicum leaf extract possesses the highest quercetin content of 28.4 ppm and an SPF value of 35. The correlation coefficient value obtained between quercetin content and its photoprotection activities is 0.6273 indicating a moderate positive relationship. © 2024, Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences. All rights reserved.
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