Evaluation of anti-elastase and antioxidant activity in antiaging formulations containing terminalia extracts

Abstract

Most in vitro efficacy studies of creams are based on estimation of active constituents as solubility is the limiting factor. Our aim was to establish a method for efficacy testing of both anti-elastase and antioxidant activity in final formulations and to compare the same with the activity of the active ingredients to ascertain whether the native activity remains unaffected, enhanced or is compromised in any way. The actives evaluated in the antiaging formulations included the crude extracts of Terminalia arjuna and Terminalia chebula, either alone or in combination on the activity of porcine pancreatic elastase and to reduce 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The results showed that the T. arjuna formulation had higher inhibitory activity of elastase (IC50 6.6 mg/ml) while T. chebula formulation depicted better antioxidant activity (IC50 0.032 mg/ml). The combination cream had excellent antielastase (IC50 2.8 mg/ml) and antioxidant properties (IC50 0.14 mg/ml). Further the cytotoxicity of the two extracts was tested on 3T3 cell line and both extracts were found to have negligible inhibition up to 80 µg/ml.