Abstract

The global market for cosmetics preservatives and antioxidants has experienced a significant shift towards natural products, as it has been called into question the safety of preservatives used in industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of Aristotelia chilensis and Ugni molinae leaf extracts, for their use as natural antioxidants and preservatives in cosmetics. This study was motivated by background information on the presence of antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds in both species. Extracts from leaf of Aristotelia chilensis and Ugni molinae were evaluated by determination of their antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity. The extraction was developed in Soxhlet apparatus, the antioxidant capacity was tested through the stabilization of the radical free 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrilhydrazil (DPPH) and the antimicrobial was evaluated through inhibition activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Candida albicans, in addition the extracts were standardized in gallic acid equivalents (EAG) through the Folin-Ciocalteu method, which is a form of standardized extracts in a chemical marker. The best extracts were selected in terms of antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity to conduct trials of application in cosmetics. In these formulations, physicochemical, sensorial and microbial stabilities over time and in different storage conditions were determined. None of this products developed bacterial or fungal grow, and all of them maintained the physicochemical and sensorial features. © 2009 The Authors.