Bhringraj oil: Benefits, uses and side effects

It is normal to lose 50 to 100 strands each day but when you notice hair thinning or see bald spots, that’s not normal. Often, it is a sign of alopecia, which starts quite suddenly and is marked by one or more bald patches. Although it has no other effects on the body, alopecia poses a psychological problem and is a major aesthetic concern.

Researchers have found that bhringraj oil is a potential hair regrowth agent and is a possible treatment for alopecia. A study conducted on animal models revealed that an ethanolic extract of Eclipta alba, when mixed with petroleum ether extract, had immense hair growth potential when applied topically. The after effects of this treatment have been postulated to be better than minoxidil, which is conventionally used for the treatment of alopecia. 

Another study which made the use of methanol extract of the plant on animal subjects found similar results. A positive effect of follicle count, skin thickness and number of melanocytes was seen by the use of this agent in a dose-dependent relationship. This means the more you use this oil, the better will be its hair growth effects. So, make sure to buy a large pack this time.

While bhringraj oil is effective when used independently for hair growth, it has also exhibited impressive results when used in combination with other hair oils as a herbal formulation. When mixed with petroleum-based extracts of Amar bel and colocynth, bhringraj oil facilitated hair regrowth in shaved mice. Not only this, but the formulation also helped to reduce the total time required for hair to grow back by almost 32%. Moreover, the initiation of hair regrowth was observed to be earlier. When compared with those treated with minoxidil, these research subjects had more number of hair follicles.

So, it will be a great idea to purchase an oil with a mixed formulation.

Head massages, aren’t they relaxing? What makes them so soothing? Probably the blend of tactility of the digits and the calming effects of the oil. But are all oils the same? Guess bhringraj oil gets an edge here as well. Credit it to the cooling effects of this herb according to Ayurveda. But are these effects limited to relaxation? Let’s find out.

Studies have found that bhringraj oil aids in stress alleviation. While the exact mechanism of action is not known, it has been ascertained that bhringraj oil also acts as a sedative (sleep inducer) and a muscle relaxant.

While scientists study the neuropharmacological activity of this plant as a nootropic agent (enhances memory, reduces stress and improves mood), you can enjoy a gentle head massage at night to be relieved of stress and have a better sleep.

What better than a relaxing massage that improves your brain function, right? Bhringraj oil got you covered with its antioxidant actions. Antioxidants are substances which help in suppressing the damaging potential of free radicals. Free radicals are nothing but unpaired highly reactive molecules produced as a result of body processes. This makes them aggressively pair with body molecules causing detrimental effects. Free radicals react with the skin, brain and other internal organs like the heart precipitating age-related changes.

In relation to the brain, a high free radical activity has been demonstrated to be a cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other memory-related disorders.

Studies have found that methanol and hydrolysed extracts of Eclipta alba have strong antioxidant potential against DPPH free radical and nitric oxide free radical, thereby, reducing their activities. The leaves of this plant further had scavenging actions against other free radicals. While it has an overall antioxidant potential, a specific action has been found to be on the brain having cerebroprotective effects. The hydroalcoholic extract of the plant has been demonstrated to be effective against cerebral ischemia in animal models.

Further, this oil has antepileptic effects, which have been studied on in vivo (animal) models. When administered orally, bhringraj oil helped to control seizures by reducing the amount of time elapsed in an extensor phase. This was observed when seizures were induced after an hour of treatment with bhringraj oil. It had an effect on the GABA receptors in the brain, which helped to slow down epileptic activity. Further, it helped to prolong the duration of sleep in these subjects.

So, a massage with bhringraj oil will be really conducive for your brain health and function and will help to boost memory.

Infection is caused when the natural defence mechanisms of the body are invaded by disease-causing agents. It can be prevented by avoiding direct or indirect contact with infectious agents or infected individuals. Another mechanism of prevention is by making use of antimicrobial substances which cater to stop or slow down microbial actions.

Bhringraj oil is one such antimicrobial, having actions against a plethora of microbial agents including bacteria, viruses and fungi, which will save you from being a host to these agents.

Extracts of Eclipta alba have been found to be effective against the microbes causing oral cancer like Streptococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermadis and Candida albicans. C. Albicans is also responsible for oral thrush. So, it can be very well said that bhringraj oil is good for your oral health.

What’s more is that it is effective against Klebsiella pneumoniae, which is the causative organism of pneumonia and Salmonella typhi, which is responsible for typhoid fever. So, it does a fair deal in protecting you from severe infections and illness.

Further, it has actions against Escherichia coli, which is causative of diarrhoea and dysentery and Streptococcus aureus, which causes skin infections.

Caused by Plasmodium species and spread by female Anopheles vector, malaria fever is dreaded by all because of its severity. While bhringraj oil has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial actions, has it any activity against P. falciparum? Quite inadvertently bhringraj oil won’t call quits.

Studies have found that leaf extract of E. alba has antimalarial activity in a dose-dependent manner. When administered during an early infection or even at an established state, the leaf extract has suppressive actions controlling the symptoms. The symptoms of malaria are manifested due to the replication of Plasmodium species inside the body.

By having actions against these species, bhringraj oil helps to control the infection when administered in a dose of 750 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Further, it is effective against the larval species of the mosquitoes. Its larvicidal and oocidal actions help to kill causative mosquito within 24 hours of exposure.

So, it is recommended to spray bhringraj oil to your surroundings especially around water sources to kill larval species and keep malaria at bay.

Bhringraj oil protects you from infections by having an effect against pathogenic microbes but what more it does is helping in boosting immunity by its immunomodulatory actions.

A recent study found that bhringraj oil helped to improve humoral and cellular immunity in fish subjects. While this evidence lacks human research, its antimicrobial actions have been succinctly proven.

(Read more: How to improve immunity)

When it comes to bhringraj oil, the benefits are countless. Here are some more you would like to go have a look at:

• Anticancer activity- Researchers have shown that bhringraj oil helps to reduce cell proliferation of cancerous cells across different cell lines, particularly that of hepatocellular carcinoma. This is believed to be caused due to the apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cancerous cells, which helped to prevent their spread in the body. Due to these effects, it has also been determined that bhringraj juice helped to reduce metastasis (distant spread of cancerous cells in the body).
• Hepatoprotective effects- Numerous studies suggest that bhringraj oil has hepatoprotective actions, that is, it helps to reduce damage caused to the liver. This it does by controlling lipid peroxidation and reducing oxidative stress. Leaf extracts help to reduce ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. This means that it can help to reduce the damage caused to your liver due to an excessive alcohol consumption. Another study carried out on animal subjects revealed that the extracts of this plant helped to reduce hepatotoxicity. This effect was confirmed by noting a reduction in the biochemical markers responsible for hepatic damage.
• Some believe that bhringraj oil has an effect on the melanin pigment and may reduce or delay graying of hair but this claim lacks sufficient evidence.
• Research evidence also suggests that bhringraj oil is an antidiabetic agent.
• Its anti-inflammatory effects find its use in the treatment of fever.
• Photoprotective effects of bhrnigraj oil against UVA and UVB have also been reported.