Helosciadium crassipes Koch (Apiaceae) extracts as natural sunscreen and preservative additives

Recently, ingredients derived from natural sources have gained increasing interest in the cosmetic field due to their low toxicity. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the cosmetic potential of Helosciadium crassipes Koch (Apiaceae) species growing in Algeria as a promising natural preservative and broad-spectrum UV protection additive. In our study, the in-vitro antioxidant effect was assessed via DPPH radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity by phosphomolybdenum method (TAC), while the protection against UVB radiation was evaluated according to the sun protection factor (SPF) by using UV spectroscopic technic at wavelengths ranging from 290 to 320 nm and Mansur’s equation, for the photoprotective effect against long-wavelength UVA, UVA/UVB and critical wavelength (λc) parameters were evaluated. The outcomes showed that among the tested extracts, the methanolic extract (MeOH) contains high levels of phenolics and flavonoids, and possesses a significant antioxidant effect, particularly in DPPH radical scavenging assay. Similarly, this last one exhibited high photoprotective activity in UVB and UVA ranges. The gathered results reveal the possibility of using this extract as a good natural additive to be incorporated into cosmetic formulations as a broad-spectrum UV protection candidate and as a preservative agent.