Introduction
Uses of Bhringaraj
Bhringaraj is mostly used a hair tonic, liver tonic, pain reliever, skin disorders, skin infections, diabetes, blood pressure and other diseases.
A study was carried out by R K Roy 1, Mayank Thakur, V K Dixit et. to find out the efficacy of Bhringaraj in encouraging hair growth and preventing hair loss.
Typically minoxidil is used for sustaining hair growth in case of androgenic alopecia. But the drawback is that the treatment has to be continued indefinitely and also the cream has some adverse effects.
Here, an ethanol extract of Bhringaraj was obtained and were incorporated into an oleaginous cream i.e a water in oil cream base. The cream was applied topically on the male albino rats. It was noted that the time required for the hair growth initiation as well as the completion of hair growth cycle was significatly reduced. Minoxidil lotion was used as a positive control. The results showed that after treatment with petroleum ether extract (5%) exhibited greater number of hair follicles in anagenic phase (69 +/- 4) which were higher as compared to control (47 +/- 13). The result of treatment with 2 and 5% petroleum ether extracts were better than the positive control minoxidil 2% treatment.
Bottomoline:
Bhringaraj outperformed minoxidil and hence can be used as an alternative to minoxidil to prevent hair loss.
