THE ANTI-AGEING POTENTIAL OF LITSEA OPPOSITIFOLIA STEM EXTRACT: EVIDENCE FROM IN VITRO AND EX VIVO STUDY ON SKIN CELL LINES

Skin ageing, a natural process caused by prolonged exposure to stressors, affects skin function. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in this process by inducing oxidative stress. To counteract skin aging, we evaluated Litsea oppositifolia Gibbs, a little-studied Indonesian plant, by characterizing the phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of the extract in vitro and ex vivo on skin cell lines. Its protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress on 3T3 and HaCaT cells were evaluated at different concentrations. The results indicated significant antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 8.310 ± 0.04 μg/mL and an FeEAC value of 613.803 μmol/g. The extract showed a phenolic content of 352.744 mg GAE/g and a flavonoid content of 3.87 ± 0.013 mg QE/g. Protective effects on HaCaT cells were observed at concentrations of 12.5 ppm and 25 ppm, while for 3T3 cells, the optimal concentration was determined to be 6.25 ppm. LC-MS analysis identified the presence of eugenol in the extract. The results suggest the potential of Litsea oppositifolia Gibbs as an antioxidant agent for mitigating skin aging, highlighting its promising application in skin care interventions.