KI PAHIT (TITHONIA DIVERSIFOLIA) AS A SUSTAINABLE PLANT-BASED SUN PROTECTION SOURCE: A PHYTOCHEMICAL APPROACH

Abstract

Phytochemical compounds are bioactive substances found in plants that can be utilized as herbal medicine, antioxidants, and natural sun protection agents. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is defined as the ratio between the amount of solar energy required to produce minimal erythema on protected skin and that required on unprotected skin. This study aimed to analyze the phytochemical compounds present in ki pahit (Tithonia diversifolia) leaves and evaluate their potential as a natural sun protection source. This research was conducted as an in-vitro experimental study in the laboratory using ki pahit leaf extract as the testing material. Phytochemical analysis was performed using the GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) method, while SPF analysis was carried out in-vitro using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The phytochemical analysis revealed that ki pahit leaf extract contained six major active compounds with the highest quality values, namely benzyl alcohol, p-hydroxy-alpha-[(methylamino) methyl]; 1- [alpha- (1-adamantyl) benzylidene] thiosemicarbazide; hexadecanoic acid (CAS); phytol isomer; benzenemethanol, 2-(2-aminopropoxy)-3-methyl-; and 7,9-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1,4-anthracenedione.  The SPF test was arranged using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatment concentrations, namely 50 ppm, 100 ppm, 150 ppm, 200 ppm, and 250 ppm, with three replications for each treatment. The results of SPF analysis showed significant differences among concentrations. The highest SPF value was obtained at the concentration of 250 ppm with an SPF value of 7.17, which was categorized as extra protection.