Background: Naturally occurring nanoparticles isolated from English ivy (Hedera helix) have previously been\r\nproposed as an alternative to metallic nanoparticles as sunscreen fillers due to their effective UV extinction\r\nproperty, low toxicity and potential biodegradability.\r\nMethods: This study focused on analyzing the physicochemical properties of the ivy nanoparticles, specifically,\r\nthose parameters which are crucial for use as sunscreen fillers, such as pH, temperature, and UV irradiation. The\r\nvisual transparency and cytotoxicity of ivy nanoparticles were also investigated comparing them with other metal\r\noxide nanoparticles.\r\nResults: Results from this study demonstrated that, after treatment at 100�°C, there was a clear increase in the UV\r\nextinction spectra of the ivy nanoparticles caused by the partial decomposition. In addition, the UVA extinction spectra\r\nof the ivy nanoparticles gradually reduced slightly with the decrease of pH values in solvents. Prolonged UV irradiation\r\nindicated that the influence of UV light on the stability of the ivy nanoparticle was limited and time-independent.\r\nCompared to TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles, ivy nanoparticles showed better visual transparency. Methylthiazol\r\ntetrazolium assay demonstrated that ivy nanoparticles exhibited lower cytotoxicity than the other two types of\r\nnanoparticles. Results also suggested that protein played an important role in modulating the three-dimensional\r\nstructure of the ivy nanoparticles.\r\nConclusions: Based on the results from this study it can be concluded that the ivy nanoparticles are able to maintain\r\ntheir UV protective capability at wide range of temperature and pH values, further demonstrating their potential as an\r\nalternative to replace currently available metal oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen applications.
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