Persian medicine anti-dandruff topical remedies: a narrative review

Background: Dandruff is a common and important scalp disorder affecting almost half of the population at the pre-pubertal age. Various studies have shown that using herbs can be a good option for improving dandruff. There is a way to search for effective herbal and natural remedies that, in addition to being scientifically valid, is a quick path in the process of discovering, designing, and obtaining natural remedies. This method is based on the knowledge of traditional medicine. Persian medicine contains vast knowledge in diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases, including valuable information from the experiences of scientists. Objective: This article introduces materia medica mentioned in Persian medicine used for dandruff. Methods: The present study is a review based on the study of traditional Persian medicine books. Hereon, effective drugs for improving dandruff mentioned in the second volume of Ibn Sina’s book (Al Qanun-fi al-Tibb) have been listed, and then four reference books of traditional medicine (al-Abnieh an Haghayegh al-advieh, Tazkare Ulul Al-bab, Tohfat al-Momenin, and Makhzan al-Advieh) are reviewed. Results: Twenty-one materia medica were found as anti-dandruff remedies. Based on the scores, Trigonella foenum-graecum L. and Beta vulgaris L. earned the best points respectively, and Prunus amygdalus Batsch, Sesamum indicum L., Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf., and sodium tetraborate decahydrate got the next orders with equal scores. Conclusion: The list of drugs collected in this study can be considered as a basis for further studies to design and make new effective drugs for treating dandruff.