BHRINGRAJ

Botanical name:- Eclipta alba Hassk.

Family:- Compositae

Common names:-

Hindi name:- Bhringraj

English name:- False daisy

Sanskrit names:- Kesh Ranjan, Keshraj

Parts used – Whole plant

 

Distribution

The plant is distributed throughout India, ascending up to 2000 meters in moist places. It is lavishly found in China, Brazil and the United States

The plant is found to grow wild in a variety of soils viz. sandy to clay soil and vary commonly on damp wastelands, low waterlogged areas, roadsides, paddy and other crop fields, preferably in a warm climate

Chemical constituents

The principal constituents of Eclipta alba are Coumestan derivatives like Wedololactone, Demethylwedelolactone, Desmethyl-wedelolactone-7glucoside and other constituents are Ecliptal, β-amyrin, Luteolin-7-O-glucoside, Hentriacontanol, Heptacosanol, Stigmasterol.

It contains various phytochemicals such as Coumestans, Polypeptides, Polyacetylenes, Thiophene derivatives, Steroids, Sterols, Triterpenes and Flavonoids

Uses

Bhringraj for hair

Bhringraj oil has amazing benefits, it helps to prevent hair fall, premature graying of hair and split ends. It helps in strengthening hair roots, promotes hair growth and is good for overall hair care, it provides nourishment to the scalp.

Bhringraj also contains vitamin E, which is known to fight free radicals that can impede hair growth.

Bhringraj oil has Antimicrobial and Antifungal properties that can help reduce dandruff. The oil also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help psoriasis or other skin irritations on the scalp. It is also said to improve circulation to the scalp.

Hepatoprotective activity

Bhringraj is good for healthy functioning of liver. The liver is the main site of the metabolism of the body and this herb is used to improve liver metabolism. It provides strength to liver and cures liver disorders and promotes overall liver health.

Alcoholic extract of Bhringraj is known to show a protective effect on liver damage. The plant has been reported to exhibit Hepatoprotective action on subcellular levels of functional markers in inflammation and liver injury. The ethanol/water extract of E. alba significantly counteracted Carbon Tetrachloride induced inhibition of the hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzyme Amidopyrine Ndemethylase and membrane-bound Glucose 6-Phosphatase. The loss of Hepatic lysosomal Acid Phosphatase and Alkaline Phosphatase was significantly restored by the plant extract.

The plant is reported to exhibit a protective effects on Carbon Tetrachloride induced acute liver damage by reducing centrilobular necrosis, hydropic degeneration and fatty change of the hepatic parenchymal cells. Coumestan constituents of the plant Wedelolactone and Demethylwedelolactone are responsible for the potent Antihepatotoxic activities in Carbon Tetrachloride, Galactosamine and Phalloidin induced liver damage in rats. Wedelolactone has been reported to be a potent and selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor.

Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic activity

The extract of Eclipta Alba has the potent inhibitor of the pro-inflammatory transcription factors and a promising agent for the treatment of the inflammatory cascade of cardiovascular diseases

Antidiabetic Activity

The chloroform extract of Eclipta Alba exhibited significant Antidiabetic activity. The extracts showed improvement in parameters like body weight and lipid profile by enhancing antioxidant defenses to protect against oxidative damage. The active principles present in Eclipta alba have been reported to possess pancreatic beta cells regenerating, insulin releasing and fighting the problem of insulin resistance. It also possesses Anti-Hyperlipidemic properties, the aqueous leaf extract of the Eclipta significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein. It showed a significant elevation in the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.