Comparative Effect of Datura Metel Leaf and Flower Extracts for Hair Formulations

This study was designed to evaluate and compare the properties of Datura metel leaf and flower extracts for hair cosmetic formulations. The plant reportedly has wide range therapeutic effect for treating ailments and skin infections. In this study, dried and pulverized Datura metel leaves and flowers were both successively extracted using n-hexane and methanol, and then characterized. Methanolic leaf extract had the highest percentage recovery yield (23.5%). Chemical analysis of both sets of extracts revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Saponins, Tannins, Flavonoids, Phenols, Glycosides and Reducing sugars. The methanolic portions contained steroid compounds in the flowers but not in the leaves while Terpenoids were absent in the flowers but present in the leaves. FTIR manual peak results suggest that the leaf extracts contain more of the same bioactive compounds than the flowers. Animal treatments with methanol leaf extract initiated the fastest hair growth in 5 days, and the shaved areas were completely filled with hairs in 13 days. Hexane flower extracts produced the longest regrowth hairs (80.6%) after 30 days. The experiments clearly demonstrate that D. metel leaves and flower extracts, when mixed together in aliquots, can provide much improved hair growth formulations.