DESENVOLVIMENTO DE FITOCOSMÉTICO ANTIOXIDANTE COM EXTRATO DE LARANJA (Citrus sinensis)

Orange (Citrus sinensis) is one of the most cultivated fruits in Brazil. It is known that it contains a relevant amount of vitamin C and, consequently, many properties, such as antioxidant, vasoprotective and hypocholesterolemic. The increase in the life expectancy stimulates the use of products able to retard the effects of time specially in the skin and, in this context, the use of plants and, particularly, of their extracts, came to revolutionize the modern cosmetology. Substances able to inhibit the action of free radicals, such as the vitamin C, can be used in anti-aging cosmetics helping in the prevention or deceleration of the damage produced on the skin. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the viability in use orange as a source of antioxidants to the cosmetic industry, mainly for the prepare of antianging formulations. Thus, three orange extracts using different extractive processes were prepared followed by the evaluation of their antioxidant activity. A phytocosmetic was developed with the orange extract that exhibited the higher antioxidant activity, and it was characterized in relation to its organoleptical characteristics, pH, viscosisity and rheology. Also, the microbiological aspects of the phytocosmetic was assessed. The extract prepared by the maceration of the dried orange, using 70% ethanol as solvent, showed significant antioxidant activity, thus, it was used in the phytocosmetic’s development. The pH, viscosity, rheology and organoleptic characteristics determined is suitable to the use in the skin. The microbiological evaluation demonstrated the suitability of the formulation, according to the recommendations of the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (2019). In conclusion, were demonstrated the applicability of orange extracts in antioxidant phytocosmetics, which could help in the prevention of premature skin aging using a widely available fruit in Brazil.