Dandruff, a common scalp condition identified by flaking and itchiness, impacts a wide portion of the population around the world.  While synthetic shampoos were the traditional approach for curing dandruff, there is growing interest in exploring natural /herbal alternatives which include crude plant extracts. Malassezia furfur, the causative organism for dandruff, has been used in different experiments. This article seeks to analyze the anti-dandruff potential of synthetic shampoos and crude plant extracts against dandruff- causing isolates to shed light on their efficaciousness, safety, and expected benefits. Following the research strategy, dandruff-causing fungi number of samples accession are collected from affected people and examined, and then artificial shampoos and crude plant extracts.
The commercially available synthetic shampoos that were used for this study are widely used to treat dandruff all around the world and include active components like selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, and ketoconazole. Some plant species, like neem (Azadirachta indica), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), and aloe (Aloe barbadensis), etc. have been used as plant extracts because they contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Synthetic shampoos show strong antifungal efficacy; ketoconazole has the strongest inhibitory effect on Malassezia growth. Their long-term effects on sebaceous gland function are a matter of concern, synthetic shampoos are an efficient way to control sebum production. Due to their ability to balance sebum production, crude plant extracts especially those from neem and tea trees offer a comprehensive method of managing dandruff by addressing both excess sebum and microbial overgrowth. Both
plant extracts and shampoos have their effectiveness on Malassezia furfur (dandruff-causing fungi).