INHIBITION OF TYROSINE PHOTODEGRADATION ACTIVITY OF LHYOPHILISATE, EXTRACT AND FRACTIONS OF KERSEN FRUIT (Muntingia calabura L.) AS PHOTOPROTECTIVE AGENT

Aim and Background: One of the amino acids that has a benzene ring as a side chain is Tyrosine. This makes tyrosine an aromatic amino acid that has the ability to absorb UV. However, this absorption can cause degradation of tyrosine. Antioxidant compounds have the potential to be used as photoprotectors that can prevent photodegradation. Kersen fruit (Muntingia calabura L) has been reported to show high antioxidant activity due to its high flavonoid content, in the glucosylated and free forms. This study aims to determine the inhibition of tyrosine photodegradation activity by lyophilisate, extracts and fractions of Kersen fruit (Muntingia calabura L.) so that the kersen fruits can be developed as photo-protective agent.

Materials and Methods: Kersen fruit (Muntingia calabura L.) lyophilized using a freeze dryer to obtain the lyophilisate of Kersen fruit. The extraction method used maceration with ethanol 70% Fractination used n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol as solvents. The Inhibition value of Lyophilisate, extract and fractions of Kersen fruit was determined by measuring the remaining tyrosine after irradiation and ketoprophen addition then compared to the amount remaining tyrosine from ascorbic acid.

Results and Discussion: lyophilisate, ethanol extract, n-hexane fraction, ethyl acetate fraction and ethanol fraction of kersen fruit (Muntingia calabura L.) has inhibitory activity, among others: 0.042; 0.333; 0.354; 0.931; and 0.328 times compared with vitamin C at the same concentration.

Conclusion: The conclusion of this research it can be concluded the ethyl acetate fraction showed the most relate the inhibition value to ascorbic acid against the tyrosine photodegradation.