A review on potential herbal treatments for ‘dandruff’ - the embarrassing scalp disorder

Keragala, RK; Kempitiya, K. S.; Kumara, K.; Kumarapeli, N. N.; Kasunsiri, T. D.; Gunathilaka, Shobha

doi:10.4038/amj.v14i1.7653

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Medicinal plants are gifts to human society to combat diseases with low side effects; plant extracts, and essential oils, are drugs rich in biologically active metabolites with potent antioxidant and anti-microbial activity in addition to their anti-inflammatory activity 14 . Furthermore, several plant extracts have been described for the management of dandruff and hair loss due to their antioxidant properties, either used alone or combined with other natural ingredients, others are added in a combinatorial formula to potentiate other conventional drugs or to decrease their side effects 15 , 16 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rosemary and neem: an insight into their combined anti-dandruff and anti-hair loss efficacy

Hashem,

Attia,

Hashem

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Dandruff, a common scalp disorder characterized by flaking dead skin, is often treated with conventional topical products. However, limitations exist due to potential side effects and high costs. Therefore, searching for natural, cost-effective solutions for dandruff and hair loss is crucial. Rosemary herb and neem tree, both cultivated in Egypt, possess well-documented anti-inflammatory properties derived from their rich phenolic phytoconstituents. This study formulated a standardized combined extract of rosemary and neem (RN-E 2:1) into hair gel and leave-in tonic formats. This extract demonstrated superior efficacy against Malassezia furfur (a causative agent of dandruff) and Trichophyton rubrum (associated with scalp disorders) compared to the conventional antifungal agent, ketoconazole. The combined extract (RN-E 2:1) also exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, the suppression of iNOS expression is considered concentration-dependent. Quality control verified formulation stability, and ex-vivo studies confirmed effective ingredient penetration into the epidermis, the primary site of fungal presence. Remarkably, both formulations outperformed the standard treatment, minoxidil in hair growth trials. These findings highlight the potential of natural extracts for scalp and hair health.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%