Development of Nanoemulsions Containing Giant Granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis L.) fruit extract for cosmetic application

Abstract

Passiflora plants are famous for their unique flavor and aroma. It also has health benefits. Nowadays, they are popularly consumed as a fruit or beverage. Giant granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis L.) is the species with the biggest fruit, thick fruit flesh, and produces juice that has a sweet and fragrant taste. However, this plant has yet to be widely known. Therefore, more research is still needed. This study aimed to study the antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-aging activities of P. quadrangularis fruit extracts, including epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp, and seed extracts, characterize bioactive compounds, and develop nanoemulsions containing P. quadrangularis fruit extracts which stable and effective in the volunteers. The research found that the extracts from the maceration method with 95% v/v ethanol obtained the highest percentage extract yield from the endocarp (25.22%), followed by the mesocarp (23.62%). The P. quadrangularis fruit extracts contain phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The epicarp extract had the highest total phenolic content (32.57±0.02 mg GAE/g extract), while the seed had the highest total flavonoid content (113.29±0.07 mg QE/g extract). It also revealed that the seed had the highest antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS assays. The tyrosinase enzyme inhibition results showed that the epicarp and endocarp extracts had excellent enzyme inhibition of 83.70±0.83% (L-tyrosine) and 88.43±0.50% (L-DOPA), respectively. The anti-aging of the epicarp extract indicated the highest inhibitory effects of the collagenase and elastase enzymes at 21.34±0.40% and 8.35±2.94%, respectively. In contrast, the seed showed the highest inhibition of the hyaluronidase enzyme at 24.17±1.27%. The extract stability at various temperatures, including at 30±2°C with light and protected light, 4°C, and 45°C, was measured by measuring the amount of gallic acid in the extracts, and it was found that the endocarp and seed extracts had good stability. From the above results, endocarp and seed extract activities were used to develop the product because they had the highest yield and a high amount of bioactive compounds with excellent activities. Nanoemulsions containing P. quadrangularis endocarp and seed extracts prepared by ultrasonication method, which had a pH value of 5.09±0.00, small particle size (133.1±0.8 nm), narrow polydispersity index (0.33±0.03), and high zeta potential (−61.8±0.6 mV) with good stability. The evaluation of nano-serum containing extracts in volunteers found that it did not irritate. The nano-serum can moisturize the skin and reduce wrinkles after 60 days of application. In summary, P. quadrangularis fruit extract can be used in cosmetic products to moisturize skin and slow skin aging. This suggestion will increase local plant value, reduce fruit juice production waste, and promote planting for farmers and community enterprises in Thailand.