lndi:~n Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 2( I ). Jan uary 2003 . pp. 7-i-78

Pl ants used in traditional phytotherapy for hair care by tribals in Sabarkantha distri ct, ,

Bhasker L Punjani1* & Vi mal Kumar: 1P.G. Ce ntre in Gotan y. Sm t. S.M. P :~nc h a l Science Col lege. Talod 383 2 15. Ciujaral. India ~ K . B. ln, ti tute of Pharnwccutica l Ed u c:~t i o n and Re search. Sec tor-23. G:~nd hi naga r 382 023 . Ciujarat. lndi;J Receil'ed 9 Ja/luan• 2002

During cth nobotanica l fie ld trips in differen t vil lages of Saba rk antha district. th e information about uti lization of natural reso urc.:: s for h:~ir care was ga th ered from tribal informants and 13hagats/ Va idya. Information on 21 p l:~nt spcci.::s be longi ng to 18 fam ili.::s of angimpcrms an:: reported alo ng with plant part s :~ n d some formul ations of pla nt pans us.:: d medicinally for the treatme nt of hair ai lments and ha ir ca re. such J S hai r fa ll. hair growth. baldnc ~s (Tal). lice (Ju ) problems. da ndru ff (Kitodu). itchi ng (Kiwlljl'({d). hair tonic. h :~i r el y.:: an d hair was hi ng.

Keywords: Hair c:~ rc . Traditiona l phytoth erapy. Skin diseases . Sabarkantha.

Under the wide spread in flue nce of cosmeti c prod ucts made from vario us modern iza ti on. people not onl y in the to treat the hair and sca lp cities but also in the vill ages, use different pro bl ems, becau se th e use of he rbal sy nthetic soaps, dandru ff shampoos and products is considered sa fe an d free fro m dyes fo r hair care. The cosmeti c an d all ergic reacti ons/effects. Thu s, sources of personal-care in dustry is a large natural pl ant dru gs are required to be economic fo rce in the worl d today. After studied/exploited in detai I. In I ncl ia th e using all av ail ab le syn th eti c materi als for Ii teratu re on el i ve rse native fl oras and hea lt h of th e hair, peopl e do not get medi cin al utilities of pl ants ts sar is fac tory rcsu lt s and sometimes , th ese vo lum i n ous 1 - ~ . In Gujarat th e literat ure on sy nth etic materi als may create side effects th e eth nobotan y and folkl ore med icin al 5 11 or may cau se allergic reacti ons, eye utilities of plants is limited . . irrita ti on. etc. Under th is situati on people The dis tri ct Sabarkantha is situated in are dive rt ed towards traditi onal herba l th e north eastern part of Gujarat Sta te the rapy for the hair care. Beauty parl ours between 23.03°N and 24.30°N lati tu des. and various cosmetic compani es also usc and 72.43°E and 73 .39°E longitud es. The herba l soaps, shampoos and oth er predom in ant schedul ed tribe in th e area is Bh il, in cludi ng Bhil Garas ia, Dungri 13h il.

''' Corre~pondent aut hor Dungri Garasia, Chokhl a Garas ia. etc. PUNJANI & KUMAR: TRADITIONAL HA IR CARE IN SABARKANTHA DISTRICT 75

The tribal people who live in 3 talukas, Results VIZ. Vijaynagar, Kh edbrahma and Twenty one plant s~ecies utili zed for Bhiloda of Aravalli ranges of hair care and hair problems in traditional Sabarkantha district, treat the hair phytotherapy in Sabarkantha district arc ailments with plant remedies on the basis presented in alphabetical order in the of their rich inherited knowledge. following manner: botanical name, famil y Perusal of literature revealed that in parentheses, local name. voucher Sabarkantha district has never been specimen number in parentheses. plant surveyed from ethnomedicinal view point parts and some formulation s of plant parts with respect to hair care. The same aspect used . is covered in the present paper. Abrus precatorius Linn. (Fabaccae). Methodology Chanothi. lBLP-3J The ethnobotanical field survey was The paste of the seeds is applied on th e conducted in 22 tribal villages, viz. bare scalp and on sharply defin ed bare Limda. Samtola, Suka amba, Kalvan , patches due to loss of hair (i n alopecia). Antri. Pal , Chamthan, Badarkha, The seed oi I is applied on seal p to stop Bandhana, J:tleti, Virpur. Vagheshwari, hair falling du e to Undari (Tinea capitis). Vireshwar, Khokhra, Songadh, Hingatiya, The roots and seeds are crushed with Mamanapipla, Poshina, Zer, Toldungri , honey to make a paste. The paste is Bhakhra and Parsoda under 3 talukas, viz. applied on head to prevent baldness. Vijaynagar, Khedbrahma and Bhiloda of Acllyrantlies aspera Linn. var. aspera district Sabarkantha during 2000-200 I. (Amaranthaceae), Anghedi, IBLP-11 ] The firsthand data were collected by The paste of fresh roots is applied on personal contact from a large number of scalp and left overnight. It cures dandrull tribal informants and Bhagats/Vaidyas of and promotes hair growth. The plant ash herbal medicines of th e villages who have is al so used in the preparation of hair knowledge about the therapeutic value of dyes. wild plants in hair care. The uses and local names of plants were recorded as salviifolium (Linn. r. ) Wang. given by Bhagats/Vaidyas. The collected (A lan giaceae), Ankol, [BLP-22] plant specimens were identified using The seed paste is applied on head to 12 Flora of Gujarat State • The co ll ected promote hair growth in case of baldness. plant materials have been deposited in the The paste of fresh stem bark is appl icc! on Herbarium at HariAum Foundation, hair to prevent dandruff and hair falling . Gandhinagar, Gujarat. More than 80 local in formants were interviewed. The data Anisomeles indica (Linn .) Kuntze were considered worth mentioning only (Lamiaceae). Choclharo, ]BLP-361 wh en more th an 30 informants gave The ash of th e plant is mixed with similar an swers for the same plant. coconut oil and applied over scalp to 76 INDI AN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE. VOL 2, No. I , JANUARY 2003

remove dandruff and to prevent falling of Hemidesmus indicus (Linn.) R. Br. hairs due to Undari (Tin ea capitis). (Asclepiadaceae), Upalsari, [BLP-1661 The powdered herb is used in the Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae), preparation of hai r oil as hair ton ic for Limdo, [BLP-46] good hai r growth. The crushed seeds and leaves are appli ed over hair as in secti cide to kill Lawsouia inermis Linn. (Lythraceae), li ce. The infusion of fresh leaves is Mendi , [B LP-1 87] applied on th e head to cure dandruff. The The paste of th e fresh leaves is spread mi xture of seed and ex uded sap from on head in the form of thi ck layer and trees growin g near water, is massaged on kept for one day to cure dandruff. The baldhead for promotin g hair growth. ex tract of the leaves is use ful in preparation of hair oi l as hair toni c and Delonix e/ata (Linn.) Gamble hair dyes. (Caesalpiniaceae), Sanclesaro, [B LP- 124] The pa te of the leaves is app li ed on Lepidagathis trinervis Wall . ex Nees hair to cure fa ll ing of hair. (Acanth aceae), Harancharo, [BLP-1 90] The paste of th e herb is applied on head to cure itchy affecti ons of th e skin. Dioscorea bulbifera Linn. Ash of whole plant is mixed with edibl e (Di oscoreaceae), Arithi , [BLP-135] oil , and applied on scalp to cure dandruff. The dri ed tuber powder is used for hair wash to remove di rt and to promote hair Leucas ceplwlotes (Roth ) Spreng. grow th . (Lamiaceae). Doshi no kubo, I BLP-1921 Fresh juice or ash of th e plant is mixed Eclipta pros/rata Linn. syn. E. alba with oil and applied on hair to remove (Linn.) Ha ~sk. (Asteraceae), Bhangro, dandruff. !BLP-1421 The leaf juice is mixed with oil and Mad/mea longUolia (Koeni g) Macb. syn. applied on hair to cure dandruff. The M. indico Gmel (Sapotaceae), Mahudo. fresh juice of the leaves is rubbed on th e [BLP- 199] shaven scalp for the purpose of promoting The ex tract of dried petal s is massaged hair growth and for blackenin g of hair. on head to promote hair growth .

Emblica o.fficinalis Gaertn . sy n. Maytenus senega/ensis (Lamk.) Exe ll Plirllantltu s e111 blico Li nn. sy n. M. enterginata (Wil ld .) Ding- Hou ( Euphorbiaccae), Aamla. lBLP- 145] (Celastraceae), Vikro, [BLP-2051 Seed o il is mixed with sesame The paste of the stembark is mix ed (SC.\'(/ J/111111 indic11111 Linn.) oil and is with mu stard (Brassico junceo Coss. ) oil. app lied over the head for promoting hair The medicated oi l is appl ied over th e gruwth. The fruit rind powder boiled with head to kill !ice and to cu re itch ing clue to <.c<;amc oi l is used as hair dye. dandruff. PUNJANI & KUMAR: TRADITIONAL HAIR CARE IN SABARKANTHA DISTRICT 77

Melia azedarach Linn. (Meliaceae), Discussion and Conclusion Bakan limdo, [BLP-206] Amongst the plants of 18 families The crushed flowers are applied over utilized in hair problems, maximum 2 scalp to remove dandruff. plants were from each of the 3 families i.e., Lamiaceae, Meliaceae and Asteraceae, where as I plant was from Sapindus emarginatus Yah! each of the 15 families, viz. Fabaceae, (Sapindaceae), Aritha, [BLP-264] Alangiaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Dioscore­ The leaves and stembark are macerated aceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, in cold water and the mixture is applied to Lythraceae, Acanthaceae, Sapotaceae, hair to remove lice. The dried fruit Celastraceae, Sapindaceae. Combret­ powder is mixed in water and kept aceae, Cucurbitaceae, Verbenaceae and overnight: the mixture is used in washing Amaranthaceae. hair. which provides extra shine. The present study shows that Sabarkantha district in Aravalli ranges Terminalia bel/irica (Gaertn.) Roxb. has great diversity of medicinal plants (Combretaceae), Baheda, [BLP-285] with rich therapeutic application in hair The seed oi I is considered a good hair problems and therefore, utilized by the tonic. Powdered fruit is added into the tribal people for curing hair problems. water and kept overnight; on the next day Thus, this information gives lead for thi s suspension is used for washing hair developing herbal formulations further. to prevent falling of hair. The powdered Acknowledgment fruit is also used in the preparation of The authors are highly thankful to all natural hair dyes. the tribal informants and Bhagats/Vaidyas for their cooperation and help during Triclwsanthes cucumerina Linn. ethnobotanical study by providing th e (Cucurbitaceae), Jangli parval , [BLP-295] information and identifying th e plant The leaf juice is applied externally to during the field trips in the forest area. the bald patches on the head to cure dandruff. References Kirlikar K R & Basu B D. l11dio11 Medici11ol Pla11ts. Vol. I to IV . (R eprinls. llllernatinnal Vernonia authelmiutica (Linn.) Wille!. Book Di stributors. Dehraclun ). 1996. (As teraceae), Kalijiri, [BLP-303] 2 Jain S K. Diuionarv of" lndia11 Fol/.: Medicini' The powdered seeds mixed with lemon o11d Ethnobotam·. (Deep Publicati ons. Nl'\\' (Citrus linw nio Osbeck) fruit .JUICe are Delhi). 1991. 3 Vishwa Vihari. Ethnobotany of Cosmeti cs of appli ed on hai r to remove lice. Indo-Nepal Border. EthnoboWIIV. 7 ( 199.'i) RlJ. 4 Jain S K. Ethnobiologv in Hun1w1 \\le/f(lre. Vitex ueguudo Linn. (Verbenaceae), (Deep Publications. New Delhi ). 1996. .'i Shah G L. Menon A R & Gopal G V. An Nagod. I BLP-309] account or th e ethn obotany or Saurashtra in The leaves are used in the preparation Gujarat State, India. 1 Econ Ta.ro11 /Jot. :>. of ha ir oil as a hair dye and in secti ci de. ( 198 1) ! 73. 78 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE. VOL 2. No. I. JANUARY 2003

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