Purple Cabbage Extract Cream Effect on Erythema Score of Male Wistar Rats Back Skin Exposed to UV-B Radiation

Early manifestation of skin damage from acute UV-B exposure is erythema. Previous studies showed that antioxidants are necessary for inhibiting the process of skin damage due to UV radiation through antioxidant properties and inflammation inhibition. Purple Cabbage which plants in Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia was known to have high concentration of antioxidant. This study aimed to assess the purple cabbage ethanol extract cream effect on UV-B exposed skin erythema of male Wistar rats. A post-test only control group design research was conducted on 30 male rats. Erythema was induced by 200 mJ/cm2 UV-B radiation to the rat’s back skin. Groups were divided into control, cream base, 5% cream, 10% cream, and 20% cream concentrations. The dosage was applied once to the erythema area. Erythema scores were then evaluated based on visual evaluation and erythema diameter as described by Ali. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v. 20.0. The control group's erythema score was significantly different from the cream treated groups but not with cream base group. The mean difference, 95% CI, and p value for each dose was 2.17, 1.83-2.50, 0.003; 2.00, 2.00-2.00, 0.007; and 1.67, 1.66-1.76, 0.007 for 5% cream, 10% cream and 20% cream respectively. This study showed that the purple cabbage ethanol extract cream with 5%, 10%, and 20% dose could inhibit the effects of acute UV-B exposure.