Formulation and Evaluation of Lipstick with Betacyanin Pigment of <i>Hylocereus polyrhizus</i>(Red Dragon Fruit)

Lipstick is the most widely used cosmetic product. Although lipstick gives a lot of social, psychological and therapeutic benefits, it may harm the consumers. Because most lipsticks contained high lead level and long term use of high lead level lipstick may harm the consumers. Research findings have suggested that administration of various antioxidants can prevent or subdue various toxic effects of lead and generation of oxidative stress. Hylocereus polyrhizus (Red dragon fruit) is widely available in Myanmar and it contains powerful antioxidant amaranth colorant called betacyanin pigment. It can prevent the oxidative stress caused by low level of lead, thus suitable as natural colorant for lipstick. As a role of pharmacist, this research was intended to minimize the adverse effects of lipsticks by formulating natural lipstick with betacyanin pigment obtained from H. polyrhizus and other natural ingredients. Formulation of lipstick was carried out by heating and blending method with homogenizer at a speed of 12000 rpm. Then, pH, melting point, surface abnormalities, aging stability, perfume stability and antioxidant activity were performed as quality evaluation. Skin irritation test, microbial analysis and lead content determination were carried out as safety evaluation. Formulated lipsticks with betacyanin pigment of H. polyrhizus have acceptable quality. The IC50 of standard ascorbic acid and formulated lipstick were 4.51 μg/ml and 22.23 μg/ml respectively. In quantitative analysis for microbiological control, formulated lipstick had no visible colony and in qualitative analysis, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were not detected in 0.5 g of formulated lipsticks. Moreover, lead content of formulated lipstick was only 2.9 ppm that is within allowable limit and it had negligible skin irritancy. Therefore, lipstick with betacyanin pigment of H. polyrhizus can utilize as Cosmeceutical.

Growth inhibitory effects of Phyllanthus niruri extracts in combination with cisplatin on cancer cell lines

AIM:To investigate the cytotoxic effects of spray-dried extracts of Phyllanthus niruri in combination with cisplatin on two cancer cell lines.METHODS:Colorectal carcinoma(HT29) and human hepatocellular carcinoma(HepG2) cells were treated with spray-dried extracts of Phyllanthus niruri(SDEPN) either alone or in combination with cisplatin at different concentrations(0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL) for 4 h and 24 h.To verify and quantify cancer cells treated with these products as well as identify the cell cycle stage and cell viability,we stained the cells with propidium iodide and assessed them by flow cytometry.The percentage of cells in different cell cycle phases was quantified and data were expressed as histograms.Significant differences between groups were determined using analysis of variance and Bonferroni's test,as indicated.A value of P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.RESULTS:SDEPN had significantly different cytotoxic effects on HT29(2.81 ± 0.11 vs 3.51 ± 1.13,P > 0.05) and HepG2(5.07 ± 0.3 vs 15.9 ± 1.04,P < 0.001) cells when compared to control cells for 4 h.SDEPN also had significantly different cytotoxic effects on HT29(1.91 ± 0.57 vs 4.53 ± 1.22,P > 0.05) and HepG2(14.56 ± 1.6 vs 35.67 ± 3.94,P < 0.001) cells when compared to control cells for 24 h.Both cell lines were killed by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner compared to control cells(HepG2 cells for 4 h:10.78 ± 1.58 vs 53.89 ± 1.53,P < 0.001;24 h:8.9 ± 1.43 vs 62.78 ± 1.87,P < 0.001 and HT29 cells for 4 h:9.52 ± 0.913 vs 49.86 ± 2.89,P < 0.001;24 h:11.78 ± 1.05 vs 53.34 ± 2.65,P < 0.001).In HT29 cells,pretreatment with SDEPN and subsequent treatment with cis-platin resulted in a greater number of cells being killed(12.78 ± 1.01 vs 93.76 ± 1.6,P < 0.001).HepG2 cells showed significant cell killing with treatment with SDEPN when combined with cisplatin(12.87 ± 2.78 vs 78.8 ± 3.02,P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:SDEPN is selectively toxic against two cancer cell lines.Moreover,SDEPN in combination with cisplatin induces a synergistic increase in the cell death of both HT29 and HepG2 cells.