Research Summary
Sun protection products have been used to mitigate the harmful effects of Ultra Violet (UV) sun rays for centuries. These products protect against sunlight-induced erythema, with their level of performance indicated by the sun protection factor (SPF). The present investigation was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of different concentrations of titanium dioxide on SPF using mice as test subjects.
In this study, the mice were divided into four groups. Group I served as the control, while Groups II and III served as test groups, treated with formulations containing 10% and 20% titanium dioxide, respectively. All the mice were anesthetized, and a 2 x 2 cm² area on their backs was shaved. They were then exposed to UV rays (SPF apparatus) at 850 μW/cm² on a 1 x 1 cm² shaved area. The mice were periodically observed for signs of burns and skin erythema, and the UV exposure time required to produce such signs was recorded. The Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) of the exposed area was compared to that of the non-exposed area.
The results of this study showed that the SPF of the formulation containing 10% titanium dioxide was found to be 6.18 ± 0.14, whereas the SPF of the formulation containing 20% titanium dioxide was 14.33 ± 0.25. This indicates that the formulation containing 20% titanium dioxide demonstrated favorable retention time in normal sunlight.
Keywords: sun protection factor, titanium dioxide, Minimal Erythema Dose, Ultra Violet.
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