Potentials of Botanicals as Sunscreen Agents: A Review

Sun exposure is the main etiological agent for most type of skin cancer, photocarcinogenesis, photo ageing, thus adequate photoprotection is essential to control UV related disorders. Approaches including use of physical photoprotective agents and sunscreen are used widely but in addition to this there are agents who can further improve the effect of ultraviolet light on the skin like antioxidants, and stimulators of repairing mechanisms. This review summarizes active components of sunscreen with a special emphasis on natural substance (vitamins and polyphenols etc.), which has potential as sunscreen agent bearing antioxidant repairing properties on UV induced DNA damage. All of the above with the new approaches such as addition of repair enzyme and active compounds are discussed.