Abstract

ABRUS PRECATORIUS (GUNJA): COSMETICS USES AND OVERVIEW

Aishwarya Thorat*, Vishvajeet Rohom, Omkar Surwase and Reshma Dakhate

Abstract

Abrus precatorius, also known as Rosary pea is one of the valuable plant species native to Asia and Australia. Despite the number of health benefits, it is also being used as an ornamental plant. These seeds are considered to be among the most beautiful and deadly in the world and are part of the Fabaceae family. They fall under the category of Upavisha, or semi-poisonous drugs, and are used extensively in many Ayurvedic formulations with significant therapeutic value. The alkaloid hypophorine and the toxic protein abrin are said to make gunja seeds toxic. There are numerous ways to detoxify gunja seeds, including utilizing kanji, milk, and water. The goal of the current study was to assess if an aqueous extract of Abrus precatorius leaf could promote hair development. It is a strong promoter of hair growth and is thought to work well for synthesizing hair growth. The time it took to cover a bald patch, the amount of hair that was produced, the proportion of hair follicles in the anagen and telogen phases, the timing of the initiation and completion of hair growth and the concentration of minerals in the blood were all taken into account when screening the petroleum ether of Abrus precatorius for its ability to promote hair growth. Since the vaidic era, Abrus precatorius, also referred to as gunja, has been utilized therapeutically.

Keywords: Upavisha, Hypophorine, Pharmaceutical cosmetics, Detoxify gunja seeds, Ayurvedic formulations.