This study was conducted with the aim of determining the antioxidant and photoprotective properties of Ziziphus lotus, a plant widely used in Algeria for its therapeutic effects. Z. lotus is a xerophytic shrub belonging to the Rhamnaceae family, found growing wild in the arid and semi-arid regions of Algeria. It is widespread throughout the country except in the Tell region. The sample was collected from the Souk Ahras region. The aqueous extract was obtained by decoction of the leaves, with a yield of 12.86%, while ethanolic extraction showed lower yields: 3.75%. The total polyphenol content was highest in jujube aqueous extract (35.47 ?g GAE/mg). The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging method. The lowest IC50 was recorded for aqueous extract (198.05 ?g/mL), indicating strong radical scavenging power. Photoprotective activity was measured in vitro using the SPF index; the highest SPF value obtained was for hydro-ethanolic extract (SPF =21.4). The study concludes that Z. lotus, particularly in its aqueous form, possesses significant antioxidant and UV protective potential, which supports its traditional use and suggests its application in natural skincare formulations with a lasting photoprotective effect.
Labiod et al. (Thu,) studied this question.