Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF NATURAL HERBAL PRODUCTS AGAINST DANDRUFF CAUSING FUNGUS AND BACTERIA

Surbhi Rathi, *Dr. Kshama Murarkar and Dr. Anita Chandak

Abstract

Dandruff is a common chronic scalp disorder which is marked by flaking of the skin on the scalp. People with seborrheic dermatitis are very prone to dandruff which occurs due to an overgrowth of yeast like fungus called Malassezia. Seborrheic dermatitis affects many areas of the skin, including the backs of ears, the breastbone, eyebrows, and the sides of the nose. The patient will have red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales. The drugstore remedies may contain shampoos with zinc pyrithione, salicylic acid, imidazole derivatives, glycolic acid, steroids, and sulphur and coal tar derivative extract. The antidandruff shampoo only slow down the scalp flaking and have their own disadvantages. This work includes how natural herbal products like lemon juice, neem leaves extract, onion juice, and curd (yoghurt) are useful as antifungal and antibacterial agent which inhibit the growth of Malassezia fungi and Staphylococcus aureus which causes the dandruff.

Keywords: Dandruff, Seborrheic dermatitis, Malassezia, Staphylococcus aureus, natural herbal products etc.