FORMULATION AND IN­ VITRO DETERMINATION OF SUN PROTECTION FACTOR OF OCIMUM BASILICUM, LINN. LEAF OILS SUNSCREEN CREAM

The increasing awareness of the risk of skin cancer with the sun exposure requires that sunscreen products be approximately tested and labeled. Although there exists information on the possible photon‐induced reaction such as photoirritation and photosensitization produced by sunscreen creams containing synthetic photo‐protective chemicals. Effect of sunscreen cream depends upon sun protection factor (SPF) value and substantivity. In addition due to high cost and time consumption of in vivo SPF determination methodologies, in vitro SPF determination is gaining more importance. The aim of present study was to formulate a sunscreen cream containing essential oil of Ocimum basilicum Linn. as an active ingredient and evaluate experimental method for in vitro SPF determination.