Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory Activities, and Cytotoxic properties of Ripe and Unripe Solanum trilobatum Fruit Extracts for Anti-aging Applications

The ethanolic extract from Solanum trilobatum L. (S. trilobatum) unripe and ripe were investigated for their antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibitory effects, cytotoxicity, and phytochemical composition to evaluate their potential as anti-aging agents. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the ripe fruit extract primarily contained n-hexadecanoic acid, glycerol 1-monopalmitate, and butylated hydroxytoluene, while the ethanolic extract of unripe fruit extract was rich in oleic acid, linoleic acid ethyl ester, and glycerol tricaprylate. The ethanolic extract of ripe fruit exhibited higher total phenolic content and significantly greater antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays compared to the unripe extract. Furthermore, it demonstrated enhanced inhibitory activity against collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase. Cytotoxicity testing on human foreskin fibroblast (HFF-1) cells confirmed that both extracts were non-toxic up to 1 mg/mL, with dose-dependent cytotoxic effects observed at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that the ethanolic from S. trilobatum ripe fruit holds promise as a safe, natural ingredient for use in cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical anti-aging formulations.