ผลิตภัณฑ์ความงามจากดาหลา

Abstract

Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Sm.) is a plant of the Zingiberaceae family that possesses medicinal properties and is widely known and cultivated in Thailand as an ornamental flower or locally consumed as food. In this study, torch ginger flowers and leaves were purchased from a cultivar. The dried flowers and leaf were extracted by water and dried via freeze drying and spray drying method. In comparing suitable drying processes each aqueous extract from both drying processes were measured for the yield of extract and total phenolic content. Their effective extracts from a proper dried method were examined for amino acid content and phenolic compounds using GC-MS and LC-MS, respectively. The extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant and enzyme activities. The former referred to assay via 2, 2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and superoxide radical scavenging while the latter was an activity of the tyrosinase and collagenase enzyme inhibition to determine possible skin benefits. A suitable concentration of the flower and leaf extracts for formulation as cosmetic was assessed via inhibiting tyrosinase. Furthermore, the mixing of torch ginger flower and leaf extract were developed as cosmetic products including TG cream, TG foam and TG scrub. The cosmetic products were studies on their physical properties and also underwent an accelerated stability test under various conditions. The cosmetic products were also evaluated for skin irritation and its skin whitening effect among 24 healthy volunteers who used each product for four weeks. The whitening effects of each product were evaluated and compared with before the treatment by measuring the amount of melanin using DermaLab® Combo and using Finn chamber® for skin irritation test. The results showed that the flower and left extract from the freeze drying method produced the highest yield of extract and total phenolic content, higher than the spray drying method. Henceforth these extracts were used for further analysis. The total phenolic contents of the flower and leaf extracts were 38.68 ± 0.45 and 246.52 ± 0.26 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. The LC-MS analysis revealed that the major components of both extracts were isoquercetin, catechin, and gallic acid. In addition, the amino acid contents of these extracts, which include lysine and leucine, exhibited a compound that may be effective in improving the formation of collagen and reducing wrinkle appearance when used on skin. The antioxidant activity displayed that both extracts can be used as potential sources of natural antioxidants with ABTS, DPPH and superoxide radical scavenging, as well as trolox and gallic acid. The flower and leaf extracts were shown to inhibit tyrosinase and collagenase activities. Further, a suitable concentration of the flower and leaf extracts revealed that 1% of the flower and leaf extract in a ratio of 1:1 exhibited the highest tyrosinase inhibition activity. From the clinical study, each of the torch ginger products demonstrated that the melanin content in the skin significantly decreased after using the products on different tested areas (p < 0.05, bonferroni test). On the other hand, the melanin content was increased on the final week of testing, which may be due to the time of testing (March 2019 to May 2019) in Thailand being in the hot season. This period has a corresponding increase in UV exposure, which is one of the causes of melanin synthesis. The volunteer’s satisfaction with each torch ginger products was between well to very well for all areas measured. Additionally, none of the volunteers suffered skin irritation of allergic reactions during the test period. In conclusion, torch ginger flower and leaf extract could potentially be a natural source to use as an active ingredient for whitening and anti-aging application in cosmetic products.