Bhṛṅgarāja Taila · भृङ्गराज तैल
daily scalp tonic; mild hair fall prevention.
Bhringaraja (False Daisy)
Bhṛṅgarāja भृङ्गराज
Eclipta prostrata (= E. alba) · Asteraceae
Common: False daisy · Bhringraj · Karisalankanni · Kehraj
herb whole plantleaf juice ushna wild-abundant
Rasa-Panchaka — five-fold pharmacology
- Rasa
- tikta · katu— tastes at first contact
- Guna
- ruksha · laghu— qualities
- Virya
- ushna— potency (heating)
- Vipaka
- katu— post-digestive effect
Dosha effect
V
Vata
↓pacifies
P
Pitta
↓pacifies
K
Kapha
↓pacifies
pacifies (↓) aggravates (↑) neutral (·)
Functions
hair-blackeninghair-growth promoterscalp tonicrasayanaVayasthapana
The single most-used hair-care herb in classical Ayurveda. Bhringaraja is in every commercial Ayurvedic hair oil (Bhringaraj Tailam, Mahabhringaraj, Neelibhringadi).
Pharmacology
- Wedelolactone + demethylwedelolactone — coumestans with hepatoprotective + hair-follicle-stimulating action
- Ecliptasaponin — adaptogenic
- Validated in vivo studies: Bhringaraja petroleum-ether extract increases hair growth comparably to minoxidil 2 % (Roy et al., Ind J Pharmacol 2008)
Cosmetic uses
- Fresh leaf juice (Svarasa) as Drava in hair oil cooking — the most potent form
- Dried herb powder as Kalka in slow-cooked Tailas
- Bhringaraja oil (Recipe HD3) — simplest single-herb scalp oil
- Mahabhringaraj Tailam (Recipe HA1) — compound hair-growth oil
Etymology
Bhṛṅga = bee + rāja = king → “king of bees” — because the dark juice resembles the blue-black of a bee.
Used in 12 recipes
Mahābhṛṅgarāja Taila · महाभृङ्गराज तैल
Khalitya (hair fall); Indra-lupta (alopecia).
Dāruṇaka Lepa · दारुणक लेप
Darunaka (dandruff); scalp itch.
Brāhmī Taila · ब्राह्मी तैल
stress-related hair fall; scalp tension.
Cemparutyādi Kerā Taila · चेम्परुथ्यादि केरा तैल
hair fall; scalp dryness.
Mahānīla Ghṛta · महानील घृत
severe Kushtha — incurable form; Shvitra (leucoderma).
Nīlībhṛṅgādi Kerā Taila · नीलीभृङ्गादि केरा तैल
premature greying; hair-blackening.
Nīla Ghṛta · नील घृत
severe Kushtha; Shvitra (leucoderma) — repigmentation.
Śmaśru-vardhana Taila · श्मश्रु-वर्धन तैल
beard growth; beard softening.
Palita-hara Taila · पलितहर तैल
premature greying; Palita (hair-greying reversal).
Keśa-prakṣālana Cūrṇa · केश-प्रक्षालन चूर्ण
daily hair washing; anti-dandruff.
Vibhītaka Taila (Palita-hara) · विभीतक तैल
obstinate premature greying; hair-thickening.