Evaluation of Formulated Polyherbal Oil for Hair

Abstract

Due to environmental pollution, psychology stress, hormonal imbalance, unhealthy nutrition and the overuse of synthetic cosmetics, hair loss, dandruff, premature greying, hair thinning, and scalp disorders have become more common in recent years around the world. Despite the availability of a number of synthetic drugs for treatment of hair related disorders, it is to be noted that very few of these drugs are found to be free from adverse effects and there is reduction in patient compliance due to their long-term use. As such, herbal formulations are gaining traction as more natural and sustainable options for healthy hair. The present study aims to formulate standardise and evaluate a polyherbal hair growth oil using the medicinal plants which are known to possess hair growth enhancing property. The formulation was made with Amla (Phyllanthus emblica), Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), Curry Leaves (Murraya koenigii), Neem (Azadirachta indica), and in natural oil base (coconut oil). Herbal ingredients were chosen as a result of their proven antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-dandruff and follicle-stimulating properties. The prepared formulation was assessed for organoleptic properties, physicochemical properties, stability, uniformity, viscosity, specific gravity, acid value, saponification value, skin irritation potential and cosmetics acceptability. The formulated oil had desirable physicochemical properties, excellent stability under accelerated storage conditions and satisfactory safety profiles. The combined effects of bioactive phytoconstituents like flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, alkaloids, amino acids, vitamins and essential fatty acids can play a major role in the nourishment, stimulation of dormant hair follicles, prevention of hair fall, strengthening of the hair shaft and health of the scalp. The findings of the current study indicate that the formulated polyherbal hair growth oil is a potential natural alternative to the synthetic hair care formulations and can be used as an effective formulation in promoting healthy hair growth and protecting the scalp from harmful effects of the hair care products.

Introduction

Hair is an important keratinized structure that contributes to appearance, self-confidence, and physiological functions such as protection from UV radiation, thermal insulation, and sensory perception. Healthy hair is characterized by density, strength, shine, elasticity, and resistance to breakage. However, factors such as pollution, nutritional deficiencies, stress, hormonal disorders, genetics, and excessive use of chemical hair products can disrupt the hair growth cycle, leading to hair loss, dandruff, premature greying, thinning, and scalp inflammation.

Conventional treatments for hair loss, including topical minoxidil and oral finasteride, are effective but may cause side effects such as scalp irritation, itching, and sexual dysfunction. As a result, interest in herbal alternatives has increased due to their safety, affordability, biocompatibility, and therapeutic benefits. Ayurvedic medicine has long recommended herbal oils for maintaining healthy hair and scalp conditions.

This study focused on developing a polyherbal hair growth oil using medicinal plants with scientifically proven hair-care properties. The formulation included Amla, Hibiscus, Fenugreek, Curry Leaves, Neem, Onion, and Coconut Oil. These ingredients provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, follicle-stimulating, hair-strengthening, and anti-greying effects. Their bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, glycosides, saponins, and vitamins, help nourish hair follicles, promote hair growth, and improve scalp health.

The preparation involved collecting, cleaning, shade-drying, pulverizing, and sieving the herbal ingredients, followed by infusion in coconut oil at 70–80°C for one hour. The mixture was then filtered and stored in amber-colored containers. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of important secondary metabolites associated with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and hair-growth-promoting activities.

The formulated polyherbal hair oil underwent physicochemical evaluation. It exhibited a dark greenish-brown color, pleasant herbal aroma, smooth texture, and good homogeneity. Key properties included a specific gravity of 0.9, pH of 5.1, viscosity of 32 cP, acid value of 1.10 mg KOH/g, and saponification value of 188 mg KOH/g. The formulation showed no skin irritation, no phase separation, and good stability during storage.

Conclusion

The current study successfully produced and assessed a polyherbal hair growth oil composed of various herbal ingredients such as Phyllanthus emblica, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Murraya koenigii, Azadirachta indica Miller along with coconut oil. The medicinal plants chosen appeared to have certain phytoconstituents known for aiding hair growth and effective functioning of the scalp. Noteworthy among these were flavonoids, polyphenols, glycosides, alkaooids, terpenoids and saponins. The oil that was made had good sensible properties and acceptable physicochemical properties. It has good homogeneity and good stability during storage. No evidence was observed for any skin-irritating effect, phase separation, or formulation incompatibility. The synergistic effect of the herbal components may prevent hair fall, strengthen hair roots, improve scalp health and promote hair growth. As a result, the polyherbal hair growth oil may provide a safe, stable and effective alternative to synthetic hair care products. It is recommended to conduct more clinical studies and stability studies to check its therapeutic and commercial value.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Shraboni Biswas, Soumallya Chakraborty, Somenath Bhattacharya. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.