While traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine has promoted the health benefits of the bhringraj plant for many hundreds of years, recent scientific studies have confirmed the hair growth potential offered by bhringraj (also known as Eclipta alba).
Traditional remedies are rarely tested by scientists but the weight of anecdotal evidence and the popularity of bhringraj as an effective treatment for hair loss prompted two separate studies to investigate the validity of claims that bhringraj Has measurable benefits for hair growth. Many thousands of people consider Bhringraj for hair growth but before this scientific study there was no recorded proof of its effectiveness.
To test the Bhringraj herb, control samples containing only the base ointment and a minoxidil solution were used as a comparison. Most people may not be that familiar with the name minoxidil, but they probably know it from the commercial products that contain it, such as Rogaine (or Regain). Minoxidil is known in science as an antihypertensive vasodilator capable of slowing down hair loss and promoting hair growth. For the purposes of the study, the results of the three bhringraj extracts were compared with the known results of minoxidil.
Three different extracts of Eclipta alba were prepared for the experiment. The first extract was petroleum ether, the second was ethanol, and the third extract was made using methanol. For the purposes of testing hair growth, six groups of rodents were used to record differential results.
For the first experiment 2%-5% ethanol extract of Bhringraj oil was prepared using Eclipta alba powder extract. It was first prepared using petroleum ether, then ethanol. This required the use of half a kilogram of dried powdered Eclipta alba.
For the second experiment, twice the volume of Eclipta alba was extracted with methanol before being filtered and concentrated to the same level as in the first experiment.
The first experiment using ethanol and petroleum ether extracts lasted thirty days, using six groups of shaved rats (G1–G6), which were treated with extracts of different concentrations.
G1: Control group treated with base ointment only.
G2: Ethanol Extract – Concentration of 2%
G3: Ethanol Extract – Concentration of 5%
G4: Petroleum ether extract – concentration of 2%
G5: Petroleum ether extract – 5% concentration
G6: Minoxidil – concentration of 2%
The results were clear. Test groups G2/3 showed no apparent improvement in regrowth time using the ethanol extract, although the other test groups showed significant improvements.
The hair of test groups 3 and 4, which used the petroleum ether extract, grew more rapidly than that of the control group G1. Hair growth started after only 5 days with group G4/5 instead of 12 days with control group G1. The total time for re-growth on the shaved area was reduced from 24 days with the control group to only 20 days for group G4/5. Group G6 managed a similar reduction in re-growth time with full growth in 20 days.
In the second experiment, mice were used instead of rats, from which a methanol solution was used. white eclipta Withdraw for 10 days. The results showed that the Eclipta alba extract was more successful in regrowing hair than the control minoxidil solution.
In conclusion it was shown that Eclipta alba was successful in promoting hair growth to the same extent as minoxidil when using petroleum ether extract. It was also noted that Eclipta alba increased the number of hair follicles, again indicating the validity of using Bhringraj for hair re-growth.
Bhringraj oil can be used alone or combined with Bhringraj powder for a more potent treatment. It can be massaged into the scalp at night before hair wash, or a conditioning hair oil can be used. Bhringraj powder can also be added to hair conditioners and treatments. Because bhringraj is a natural, herbal remedy, it does not have the adverse side effects often associated with minoxidil.
