Balkrishna Acharya, Ngpoore Nem Kumar, Jonwal Harshita, Lochab Savita, Varshney Anurag
Drug Discovery and Development Division, Patanjali Research Foundation, NH-58, Near Bahadrabad, Haridwar, 249405, Uttarakhand, India.
Department of Allied and Applied Sciences, University of Patanjali, Patanjali Yog Peeth, Roorkee-Haridwar Road, Haridwar, 249405, Uttarakhand, India.
AMB Express. 2025 Jan 13;15(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s13568-024-01818-w.
Malassezia furfur is the primary etiological agent of dandruff (Pityriasis capitis). Although herbal shampoos are preferred for their natural, mild ingredients over synthetic counterparts, they are often perceived as less effective in managing flaky scalp conditions or furfuration causing dandruff. The study compares the antifungal efficacy of herbal and synthetic shampoos against M. furfur. Seven shampoos including herbal (HS_Adv, HS_M&P, HS_Aloe), synthetic (SYN_01, SYN_02, SYN_03) and an antifungal shampoo containing ketoconazole (KETO) were employed in the study. Experiments were designed to stimulate real-world conditions, utilizing disc-diffusion assay, 3-minute shampoo contact at mild dilutions (1% and 5%), recurrent 3-minute shampoo contact every 24 h with intermittent recovery. Both disc diffusion and 3-minute shampoo contact demonstrated that all shampoos were effectively inhibiting the viability of M. furfur. However, a single 3-minute shampoo contact followed by a prolonged recovery of 72 h revealed SYN_01 and KETO with maximal antifungal action. In contrast, herbal shampoos were as effective as synthetic options when M. furfur was subjected to 3-minute shampoo contact every 24 h with intermittent recovery. Comprehensive ingredient analysis revealed the robust antifungal activity in SYN_01 was probably because of the presence of various surfactants, allergens and a potent synthetic antifungal agent, Piroctone olamine. This study experimentally demonstrates that herbal shampoos are as effective as synthetic options in managing M. furfur-induced dandruff when applied consistently. The findings highlight the importance of regular scalp cleansing for dandruff management and provide valuable insights into the antifungal potential of both herbal and synthetic formulations.
糠秕马拉色菌是头皮屑（头皮糠疹）的主要病原体。尽管草本洗发水因其天然、温和的成分比合成洗发水更受青睐，但人们通常认为它们在治疗头皮片状鳞屑状况或由糠秕引起的头皮屑方面效果较差。该研究比较了草本洗发水和合成洗发水对糠秕马拉色菌的抗真菌功效。该研究使用了七种洗发水，包括草本洗发水（HS_Adv、HS_M&P、HS_Aloe）、合成洗发水（SYN_01、SYN_02、SYN_03）以及一种含酮康唑的抗真菌洗发水（KETO）。实验旨在模拟实际情况，采用纸片扩散法，在轻度稀释（1%和5%）下进行3分钟洗发水接触，每24小时重复3分钟洗发水接触并间歇性恢复。纸片扩散法和3分钟洗发水接触均表明，所有洗发水均能有效抑制糠秕马拉色菌的活力。然而，单次3分钟洗发水接触后延长72小时的恢复时间显示，SYN_01和KETO具有最大的抗真菌作用。相比之下，当糠秕马拉色菌每24小时进行3分钟洗发水接触并间歇性恢复时，草本洗发水与合成洗发水的效果相当。综合成分分析表明，SYN_01中强大的抗真菌活性可能是由于存在各种表面活性剂、过敏原和一种强效合成抗真菌剂——吡罗克酮乙醇胺。该研究通过实验证明，持续使用时，草本洗发水在治疗糠秕马拉色菌引起的头皮屑方面与合成洗发水效果相当。这些发现突出了定期清洁头皮对头皮屑管理的重要性，并为草本和合成配方的抗真菌潜力提供了有价值的见解。
