Hair loss treated with TCM herb Eclipta Alba herb

What is Eclipta Alba herb(Han Lian Cao)? Actually it refers to the aerial part of Eclipta alba L. (Hassk) or Eclipta prostrata L., a plant in the family of Compositae. Other common names also include Herba Ecliptae, false daisy, Eclipta prostrata Linn, Ecliptae Herba, kehraj, Herba Ecliptae Prostratae, yerba de tajo herb, bhringaraj, bhringraja, Mo Han Lian, karisalankanni, and more. Medicinally in China it is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and other places. The best timing for harvest is the time when it is flowering. And next dry it in the sun, cut into section, and use raw.

Eclipta plant is an annual herb and 10 to 60cm in height. The whole plant is shaggy haired. The juice leaking from the broken stem will turn into bluish black after a few minutes. Stems are erect or prostrate from the base. Roots are green or reddish-brown. Leaves are opposite. Blades are linear-elliptic to lanceolate, 3 to 10cm, 0.5 to 2.5cm wide, and with entire or slightly serrated margin and both sides with white shag. Capitulum is axillary or terminal. Involucre is campanulate, with 5 to 6 bracts and flat torus. Achene is yellow and black, about 3mm, and with no pappus. Flowering is from July to September and fruiting is from September to October.

Basic chemical constituents include saponins, tannins, vitamin A, Ecliptine, a-Terthienylmethanol, α-formyl-α-terthienel, Wedelolactone, demethyl wedelolactone, desmethyl wedelolactone glucoside, and so on.

Eclipta alba benefits
Thanks to its active constituents of hair growth, now this herb is put into use in many ways, such as Eclipta alba hair oil, shampoo, extract, capsules, powder, juice, supplement, tincture, and more. It must make clear that this herb is more than just a hair tonic and it has wider medicinal uses. That’s to say, there are tons of other health benefits available from consuming Eclipta, alone or combined with other herbs. And its pharmacology can give some ideas on how to use it properly.

Modern pharmacological actions of Eclipta herb
1. It improves the human body’s non-specific immune function;
2. It eliminates oxygen free radicals to inhibit 5-lipoxygenase;
3. It protects the chromosomes;
4. It shows remarkable hepatoprotective activity;
5. It promotes the regeneration of liver cells;
6. It increases coronary flow;
7. It prolongs the survival time of mice under the normal pressure and hypoxia;
8. It improves the survival rate of mice under the reduced pressure and hypoxia;