Ayurvedic Herbs for Hair
Ayurvedic Hair Care
According to Ayurveda, the state of our hair has to do with what we put in our body than what sort of hair care products we use. Our hair can also alert us to changes in our health. Because hair is considered a waste product of asthi dhatu or the bone tissue system, when our hair is healthy, we have healthy asthi dhatu. If ashti dhatu is increased, it can lead to excessive hair growth, or if asthi dhatu is decreased, it can lead to hair loss. Read more about Ayurvedic Hair Care in our previous week’s post.
Ayurvedic Herbs for Hair
In an Ayurveda, leaves, roots and flowers of herbs can be used externally to benefit the skin, hair and other parts of the body. Because our skin is a digestive organ, these herbs are absorbed into the body and have an effect on the dhatu (tissue systems) and srotamsi (tissue channels) of the body. Thusly, all the Ayurvedic herbs listed below should not be self-administered and Ayurvedic herbs should only be used under-advisement of your Ayurvedic Counselor/Practitioner/Doctor and approved by your Primary Care Physician. This list of Ayurvedic herbs is only meant to educate you on the various herbs traditionally used in Ayurvedic hair care.
Amalaki
Taste (Rasa): bitter, astringent, pungent, sweet, predominantly sour
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, dry
Dosha: VP- K+ (in excess)
Tissues (Dhatu): all plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat/adipose tissue (meda), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas)
Indications: digestion, heart, metabolic disorders
Precautions: acute diarrhea, dysentery, high Kapha and Ama
Hair Care: premature greying or hair loss, tonic for the hair (kesya)
Bhringaraj
Taste (Rasa): bitter, pungent, sweet
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): pungent
Quality (Guna): light, dry
Dosha: VPK=, mainly VP-, pitta rasayana (rejuvenative)
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas), urinary (mutra vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas)
Indications: head, nerves, skin, lungs, reproduction, gynecology
Precautions: any sign or cold in the digestive system, severe chills
Hair Care: premature greying, balding, alopecia, tonic for the hair (kesya)
Bibhitaki
Taste (Rasa): astringent, sweet
Energetics (Virya): heating
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, dry
Dosha: VPK= V+ (in excess)
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), muscle (mamsa), bone (asthi), nerve (majja)
Systems (Srotamsi): nervous (majja vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas)
Indications: lungs, head, digestion, urine, nerves, heart
Precautions: high Vata, dry symptoms in the lungs, skin, bowels
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana), tonic for the hair (kesya)
Brahmi
Taste (Rasa): bitter, sweet, astringent
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, flowing
Dosha: VPK=, V+ in excess
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), nerve/bone marrow (majja)
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas), muscular (mamsa vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas)
Indications: brain, nerves, urinary, external
Precautions: may aggravate itching; in large doses may cause headaches or temporary loss of consciousness, caution during pregnancy
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana)
Fenugreek
Taste (Rasa): bitter, pungent, sweet, astringent
Energetics (Virya): heating
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): pungent
Quality (Guna): light, unctuous
Dosha: VK-, P+
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), fat/adipose tissue (meda), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): digestive (anna vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas), water (udaka vaha srotas), sweat (sveda vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas), lactation (stanya vaha srotas)
Indications: diabetes, cholesterol, digestion, gynecology, reproduction, pain, external
Precautions: high pitta, as a known hypoglycaemic there may be a positive interaction, and it is advisable to monitor people on diabetic medication
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana)
Gokshura
Taste (Rasa): sweet, bitter
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): heavy, unctuous
Dosha: VPK=, primarily V-
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): respiratory (prana vaha srotas), urinary (mutra vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas)
Indications: urinary, reproductive, nerves, skin
Precautions: dehydration, dryness, caution during pregnancy, caution with antipsychotic drugs especially MAO inhibitor medications as its harmala alkaloid content may speed up the breaking down of the medication in the digestive system, thus reducing the effectiveness of the drug
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana)
Gotu Kola
Taste (Rasa): sweet, bitter, astringent
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, dry
Dosha: VPK=, primarily KP-
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), mainly blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat/adipose (meda), bone (asthi), mainly nerve/bone marrow (majja)
Systems (Srotamsi): nervous (majja vaha srotas), circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas)
Indications: nerves, mind, skin, joints
Precautions: large doses can be narcotic and cause a Vata headache or dizziness, caution during pregnancy
Hair Care: hair loss
Hibiscus Flowers
Taste (Rasa): sweet, astringent
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, unctuous
Dosha: PK-, V+ (in excess)
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), fmuscle (mamsa), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas), female reproductive (artava vaha srotas)
Indications: dysmennorhea, menorrhagia, painful urination, cough, fever, toxins in the blood
Precautions: severe chills, high Vata
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana)
Jatamamsi
Taste (Rasa): bitter, astringent, sweet
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, unctuous, penetrating
Dosha: VPK=
Tissues (Dhatu): blood (rakta), fmuscle (mamsa), nerve/bone marrow (majja)
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas)
Indications: nerves, heart, digestion, gynecology, lungs, hair, skin
Precautions: use with caution during pregnancy; high doses will cause nausea, colic and urinary problems; use caution with sedative, antihypertensive and antidepressive medication
Hair Care: promotes hair growth (romasanjanana), premature greying, hair loss
Licorice
Taste (Rasa): sweet, bitter
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): heavy, moist
Dosha: VPK-, K+ (in excess)
Tissues (Dhatu): all plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat/adipose tissue (meda), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): nervous (majja vaha srotas), reproductive (shukra/artava vaha srotas), digestive (anna vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas)
Indications: lungs, digestion, liver, kidneys, nerves, urine, skin
Precautions: care in osteoporosis as it inhibits its calcium and potassium absorption; it can exacerbate potassium loss when used with potassium-depleting drugs (thiazide diuretics, laxatives) and this can increase sensitivity to cardioactive glycosides; it extends the activity of cortisone in the blood by decreasing plasma clearance and so caution is advised with corticosteroids, especially prednisolone; hypokalameia can occur over extended periods (4-6 weeks) and so diligence is advised when blood pressure increases in any person taking licorice, or with elderly people or those with hypertension or cardiac, renal or hepatic disease; it can exacerbate the effects of a high salt diet; it may counteract the contraceptive pill; it has a positive interaction with NSAIDs by reducing the gastric irritation and ulceration they can cause
Contraindications: high Kapha; choleostatic liver disorders, hypertension, congestive heart failure, oedema, during pregnancy and breast-feeding
Hair Care: tonic for the hair (kesya)
Rose Petals
Taste (Rasa): bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet
Energetics (Virya): cooling
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet
Quality (Guna): light, unctuous
Dosha: VPK=
Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), fmuscle (mamsa), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas), female reproductive (artava vaha srotas)
Indications: gynecology, nerves, digestion, reproduction
Precautions: caution during pregnancy, high Kapha
Hair Care: tonic for the hair (kesya)
Tila
Taste (Rasa): sweet, pungent, astringent, bitter
Energetics (Virya): heating
Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): pungent
Quality (Guna): heavy, unctuous
Dosha: V-, PK+, ama+
Tissues (Dhatu): all plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat/adipose tissue (meda), bone (asthi), nerve/bone marrow (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])
Systems (Srotamsi): digestive (anna vaha srotas), bone (asthi vaha srotas), excretory (purisha vaha srotas), respiratory (prana vaha srotas)
Indications: digestion, lungs, bones, skin, rejuvenation, gynecology
Precautions: high ama and congestion; skin eruptions from heat
Hair Care: tonic for the hair (kesya)