Development and Characterization of Sesbania Grandiflora Face Serum with Enhanced Antibacterial and Antioxidant Property

Cosmeceutical serums are the finest option for delivering active ingredients. It is a highly concentrated water or oil-based product. Serums contain active ingredients ten times more than conventional creams and lotions. Furthermore, the serum offers delivery of micro molecules of the formulation's constituents. As a result, it ensures product distribution in the deeper skin layers is faster and more effective¹. The serum increases moisture levels, gives the face a smoother, firmer texture, and reduces the appearance of pores. Antioxidants are substances made from cells and substances that mimic skin, and they should be included in all skin care products, whether they are moisturizing, anti-aging, anti-wrinkles, or serums. All skin types need these ingredients to keep their skin as healthy as possible.^2,3

Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir. commonly known as august (H), agati (S), rain tree (E) belongs to family Caesalpiniaceae is a medium size tree, with green, glabrous, twining branches having leaves, flowers white, reddish or pale creams. The other scientific names of sesbania are Robinia grandiflora Linn, Aeshynomene grandiflora Linn, Sesban grandiflora Poir, Agati grandiflora (L.) Desv. A small erect quick growing short-lived soft-wooded tree sparsely branched. Sesbania grandiflora is commonly known as agati/Avisa. Every portion of the Sesbania grandiflora plant has therapeutic uses. Because of its diverse nutritional benefits, it is also utilized in food. Leucocyanidin and cyanidin, which are found in seeds, oleanolic acid and its methyl ester, and kaemferol-3-rutinoside, which are found in flowers, are the active components of sesbania. The bark contains tannins and gum. Saponin isolated from the seeds. Sesbanimide isolated from seeds⁴. In Southeastern Asia and India, Sesbania grandiflora is used for medicinal purposes in all sections of the plant, including preparations made from the roots, bark, gum, leaves, flowers, and fruit. Anemia, bronchitis, fever, headache, ophthalmia, nasal catarrh, inflammation, leprosy, gout, and rheumatism are among the many conditions that can be treated with various portions of this plant in the Siddha school of Indian traditional medicine. It also possesses antibacterial, antioxidant, anxiolytic, antiulcer, analgesic, antipyretic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anticonvulsive and hepatoprotective properties⁵.

Chemical compounds in plants mediate their effect on human body for healing purposes. The presence of bioactive compounds indicates the medicinal value of plants. Because they may be used as natural additions to replace synthetic antioxidants and antimicrobials, the antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities of numerous plant extracts have recently attracted a lot of attention from the food business and research community. Phytochemicals are antibiotic properties of plants and have been reported to possess antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities. Thus medicinal plants play an important role in the development of newer drugs due to their effectiveness, less side effects and relatively low cost when compared to synthetic drugs?,?. Through scar repair, the antioxidants will stop the production of free radicals, which lowers inflammation and encourages skin renewal. The antibacterial properties are needed for protection against acne causing bacteria.⁸ This study aims to formulate a face serum using natural ingredients and utilizing the benefits of Sesbania grandiflora extract for antibacterial, antioxidant, properties that are safe for public health and the environment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS 

MATERIAL

Collection of plant material

Sesbania grandiflora (family Fabaceae) were collected from local areas of Arbali, Maharashtra, India. After carefully removing the foreign, earthy material and any leftover materials, the flower was cleansed and allowed to dry in the shade. It was then powdered and used for extraction.

Extraction of plant material.

Extraction of Flowers: The dried powder of flowers was extracted with water by maceration for 72 hours using aqueous solvent. The collected extract was then dried using Freeze dryer. In accordance with conventional protocol, the produced extract was put through a number of chemical tests to identify the different phytoconstituents.

Phytochemical Screening⁹

Flower extract

1. Alkaloid Test

1. Wagner’s Test

Few mL filtrate + 1-2 drops of Wagner’s reagent (Along the sides of test tube) which gives brown/reddish precipitate.

2. Hager’s test

Few mL filtrate + 1-2 mL Hager’s reagents which gives creamy white precipitate.

2. Flavonoids Test

Ferric chloride test

Extract aqueous solution + few drops 10% ferric chloride solution which gives green precipitate.

3. Terpenoids Test

2ml chloroform + 5mL plant extract, (evaporated on water bath) + 3mL conc. H2SO4 (boiled on water bath) A grey coloured solution.

Formulation of Face Serum

Weigh all the ingredient properly as shown in table. The ingredients (Disodium EDTA, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sorbitol, water) combined in one beaker. The beaker is kept on magnetic stirrer for mixing. Gradually add Carbopol 940 in the mixture with continue stirring for 1.5 hour. Add the sesbania grandiflora flower extract and in the end add triethanolamine according to consistency. Again, stir the mixture for 10 min¹⁰.

Table 1: Formulation table for Face Serum

EVALUATION PARAMETERS FOR FACE SERUM

Physical Evaluation

The face serum's organoleptic qualities, such as color, odor, and look, were assessed in this test. The color, thickness, roughness, and smell of the serum were used to evaluate its physical characteristics.

Irritation Test

Mark an area (1sq.cm) on the left-hand dorsal surface. The serum was applied to the specified area & time was noted. Irritancy, erythematic, edema, was checked if any for regular intervals up to 24 hrs.

Washability

A tiny bit of serum is applied, hand-washed with water, and physically checked to see if the face serum is washable.

pH

The pH of the face serum was measured using a calibrated pH meter. For the test, 10 milliliters of filtered water were used to dilute 1 milliliter of the face serum. Making sure the pH is suitable for topical application is crucial.¹¹

Spreadability

The spreadability was expressed in terms of time in seconds taken by two slides to slip off from the serum, placed in between the slides, under certain load. Lesser the time taken for separation of the two slides better the spreadability. Two sets of glass slides of standard dimension were taken. Then one slide of suitable dimension was taken and the serum was placed on that slide. Then other slide was placed on the top of the formulation. Then a weight or certain load was placed on the upper slide so that the serum between the two slides was pressed uniformly to form a thin layer. Then the weight was removed and excess of formulation adhering to the slides was scrapped off. The upper slide was allowed to slip off freely by the force of weight of weight tied to it. The time taken by the upper slide to slip off was noted.¹²

Spreadability= m × l/t

Where,

m= Standard weight which is tied to or placed over the upper slide

l= length of a glass slide

t= time taken in seconds.

Viscosity

Viscosity of the formulation are determined by Brookfield Viscometer at 100rpm, using spindle type model S64. The spindle is dipped in five milliliters of the serum in a beaker for approximately five minutes before the measurements are taken.

Cyclical Temperature Test 

There is no set temperature or humidity at which this test is conducted. The temperature was cyclically altered daily during this test. Both at room temperature and at a temperature that is frizzing to encourage temperature variations.¹³

Determination of antibacterial activity

The bacterial inhibitory effect of S. grandiflora extracts was carried out by standard agar well diffusion method. The TSA plate was seeded with the NS suspension of different bacteria. In each plate, a 6 mm diameter well was cut out using a sterile cork borer. Using a sterile autopipette, 50 μL of the proper diluted extract was carefully added into the wells. The same volume of 50% ethanol was used as a negative control. The plates were incubated overnight at 37°C. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by measuring the diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ). The experiment was carried out in triplicate and the means of diameter of the inhibition zone were calculated¹⁴.

Determination Antioxidant activity

The free-radical scavenging effect of S. grandiflora was measured with the stable radical scavenger diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with minor modification. Briefly, the concentrations (20–1000µg/ml) of EQSG and AQSG were prepared in respective solvent. Positive control ascorbic acid was prepared with different concentration (1-100 µg/ml). 1 ml DPPH solution (0.1mm in methanol) was mixed with 1ml of extract and standard solution separately and kept in dark for 30 min. The absorbance was measured at specific wavelength. The intensity of discoloration of DPPH-purple to DPPH-yellow indicated the scavenging efficiency of the extract. Lower absorbance indicated higher free radical-scavenging activity. The antioxidant activity of the extract was expressed as IC50, which was defined as the concentration (μg/ml) of extract that inhibits the formation of DPPH radicals by 50%. All tests were conducted in triplicate.

The percentage scavenging activity was determined by formula:

% Scavenging = [(A-B)/A] *100

Where,

A was the absorbance of control (DPPH solution without the sample),

B was the absorbance of DPPH solution in the presence of the sample (extract/ascorbic acid)¹⁵.

RESULT & DISCUSSION

Flower Extract

Table 2: Phytochemical Screening of Flower extract

Table 3: Result of Antibacterial Test

Tabel 4: Result of Anti-oxidant Test

Fig 1: In vitro antioxidant properties of S. grandiflora Flower Extract

Table 5: Result of evaluation parameters for face serum