Researchers at the UFBA (Federal University of Bahia) discovered in the wild passion fruit leaf – Passiflora cincinnata, a common plant species in the semiarid region of Bahia – powerful protection properties against the action of the sun’s rays. From the plant, they developed a sunscreen, obtaining another patent for the invention – the tenth – for the University, granted by the Brazilian Patent Office (BPTO).

The creation of the product began with the master’s thesis by Danilo Menezes Oliveira, carried out at the Graduate Program in Biosciences at UFBA.

In studies carried out at the IMS Laboratory of Pharmacotechnics and Cosmetic Technology, the potential of the extract of wild passion fruit leaf for protection against ultraviolet A and B radiation was verified. This protection is important to avoid the harmful effects of skin exposure to the sun, such as premature aging and the risks of skin cancer.

He explains that, in addition to the plant extract, a series of other substances such as moisturizers and antioxidants can be added to the final version of the sunscreen through nanotechnology, which allows the manipulation of matter on a nanometric scale (on the order of a billionth of a meter) and favors the targeted delivery of substances that perform specific functions. Likewise, different sunscreens can be added to the formula to determine the protection factor offered in the final product.

Source: Agencia Sertão