Traditional Medicinal Knowledge about Common herbs used for hair care in Chhattisgarh, India

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Since my school days I am aware of the dyeing properties of Bhengra. In village school we use to clear the black board with the fresh leaves of Bhengra, specially in rainy days. We have also used the leaves to clean our slate patti (writing pad prepared from slate).

During my school days, we collect the Bhengra from submerged paddy fields. After completing the nursery education. I forgot this Bhengra, when I started ethnobotanical surveys, again this herb came in picture for the same property. But this time the purpose of dyeing is not to blacken the black board, but to darken the human hairs. Bhengra is one of the most frequently used hair growth promoter and herbal hair dye in the Chhattisgarh. In Sanskrit it is konwn as Keshranjana (Kesh - Hair; Ranjak - dye). Bhengra is one of the common weeds in lowland paddy fields. And you know that Chhattisgarh is a rice bowl of India.

Today the availability of Bhengra in rice ecosystem is decreasing very rapidly because the heavy use of lethal weedicides. For agricultural researchers, Bhengra is an obnoxious weed that competes with rice crop for light, moisture and nutrients and decreases the yield. The agricultural researchers are continuously pressurising the common rice growers to uproot all the so called weeds. Due to this decreasing population, the use of Bhengra is also de ted my village school and I was shocked to see that the dusters and black paint have taken the place of Bhengra leaves. I was sad to hear that students were not aware of this unique herb. 

You will be surprised to know that urban people are well aware of the hair oil prepared from this herb but they know Bhengra in name of Bhringraj and oil is known as Bhringraj Tel. Over dozen of Indian herbal compaines are selling this oil with lot of advertisements. I am not sure what quality of herb they are using to prepare the oil. I have practically examine the effect of Bhengra as hair growth promoter and hair dye. In tribal belts of Chhattisgarh, old villagers are still using it externally and internally for this purpose. 

During my interactions with the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh I have noted many interesting facts about the effectiveness of Bhengra. The traditional healer from Bastar have informed me that paddy field infested with other weed named Kaua - Kaini (Commelina benghalensis), affected severly the effectiveness of Bhengra. Bhengra collected from Kaua-Kaini free paddy fields are more effective. I think this may be due to the allelochemicals secreted by the Commlina that are affecting the quality of Bhengra. 

The traditional healer from Durg have disclosed the fact that the Bhengra collected from paddy fields having traditional rice variety Dubraj (the scented variety) is more effective as compared to Bhengra collected from other rice fields. I personally believe that these is a strong need to establish these facts with the help of modern science. Before describing the botany of Bhengra I would like to explain the role of medicinal soils used for hair care with Bhengra. Like any part of the earth, termitarium (termite’s home) are common in Chhattisgarh also. The tribes of Bastar use the soil of termitarium with Bhengra as hair growth promoter. The poste of Bhengra plant (fresh) and soil are mixed with the help of water and applied externally on hairs and allowed it to dry, after dying hair is washed. I ring my visits to Sarguja area, I have heard about this use from traditional healers, but they said that the soil of local termitarium is not much effective. I think this may be due to the sandy soils of the region. In some parts of Chhattisgarh, particularly in semi-urbon areas people use the black soil with Bhengra to wash the hair. Unfortunately, the buy this herb from shop because they are not aware of its availability in near by paddy fields. The scientific name of Bhengra is Eclipta alba (family - Compositae). In reference literatures, I have found the following details about this herb. It is an annual erect or prostrate herb, often rooting at the nodes, stems and branches strigose and hairy; Leaves opposite, sessile, usually oblong-lanceolate, sub entire, strigose and hairy; Flowers in heads, solitary, axillary; involucral bracts about 8; ray flowers ligulate, disk ones tubular; corolla often 4-toothes, pappus O; Fruits achene, cuneate with a narrow wing. In Ayurved it is mentioned as bitter, hot, fattening, alterative, anthelmintis, alexipharmic and good for complexion, hair, eyes and teeth.

For hair like, the natives of Chhattisgarh, use neem (Azadirachta Indica) oil externally. Although it is not related with this about hair lice. When pregnant woman came to the traditional healer to ask him whether the child will be male or female, he simply ask her to put a live lice on palm and squeeze some milk from breast on it. If lice survives, then the child will be the male, if it dies then the child will be the female. It seems very interesting. This observation also neeed scientific verification.

Although the title of this article explains the use of common herbs but here. I am describing the traditional medicinal knowledge about insect used for hair care or more specifically to dye the hair black. This insect is common housefly Musca nebulo. The traditional healers collect are hundred live housefiles and dip it into Til oil (Sesamum indicum ), then put the oil in open sunlight for 40 days, after this only twice a day. 

Keeping in view the feelings of common people, the traditional healer never disclose that they are using the odd looking houseflies. According to them, after regular use upto one month, the hair remains black for several months and tendency of loosing hair colour decreases . In Chhatttisgarh, Sesamum oil is used frequently for hair care. Sesamum is grown as field crop in fairly large areas. During crop season, particularly before flowering, the tribals use the fresh leaves of black sesamum to wash their hair. 

According to them, these leaves are beneficial for good hair growth. These days leaves are beneficial for good hair growth. These days many natives are regularly complaining the use of sesamum leaves is becaming difficult day by day due to use heavy doses of foliar applied pesticides on standing crops. Like sesamum leaves, fresh and young Neem and Ber (Zizyphas jujuba) leaves are also used for hair wash. Although Marigold is not a native plant of this region, but many traditional healers recommend the oil prepared from flower petals are very useful for promoting hair growth. For preparing oil, they use sesamum oil. 

I have experienced the long lasting effect of this oil. The preparation of this oil is very time taking process. It requires three months to prepared a litre of oil. Upto two months, they put the oil in pot inside the soil. There must be some scientific reasons behind this. During survey I found that the traditional healers are having a difference of opinion with respect to Branhi herb. Scientifically Bacopa monieri is Bramhi but many traditional healers have named the Ipomoea reniformis or Hydrocotyl asiatica as Bramhi. The traditional healers of Chhattisgar prepare oil from these herbs and recommend it to the patients having poor hair growth. I have tried the Bramhi oil and found it effective to greater extent.

The traditional healer of Gunderdehi (Durg) recommend his bald patients to apply raw onion juice in order to get new crop of hairs. Use of odd smelled onion juice requirto herbal farm at Roha (Mumbai) two months back. I recommended this juice to one German friend. Very recently. I have got his e-mail, stating he is getting positive results.

Beside these, Aonla, Baheda, Lemon, Shikakai etc herbs are also used by the traditional healers.

At last (but not least), the traditional healers are having some unique formula to stop or erase the hair (Hair remover). I have seen the external use of Nux vomica and newly laid eggs of ants for this purpose by traditional healers.