<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Potentiality of aqueous leaf extract of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Trichosanthes cucumerina </i>Linn<span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">. on hair growth promotion in Wistar albino rats</span></span>

Abstract

<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Trichosanthes cucumerina</i> Linn. (Snake gourd) is an annual climber which is widely distributed in Asian countries. It is a rich source of nutrition. The leaves of the plant are used by the folklore for alopecia. Hence, in the present investigation the hair growth promoting activity was evaluated on Wistar albino rats. The preliminary chemical screening of the aqueous extract revealed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, saponins, flavonol glycoside and triterpenoid saponins. The animals were divided into four groups and the control group was applied with water, standard group with 2% Minoxidil and two test groups with 150 and 300 mg/kg of aqueous extract of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">T. cucumerina</i> leaves. Qualitative and quantitative parameters were evaluated. It was observed that the hair growth completion, length of hair, percentage of hair follicles and diameter of bald patch and concentration of minerals in the blood for the test animals applied with 300 mg/kg drug was comparable with that of the animals treated with 2% Minoxidil. This study reveals that the leaves of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">T. cucumerina</i> are a potent hair growth promoter which supports the traditional claim.