| COMMON AILMENTS | HOME REMEDIES | HERBAL REMEDIES | HERBAL MEDICINES | ARTICLES |
AcidophilusAlmondAloe
Ajowan ArjunAniseed Ashoka Ash GaurdAsafoetida Ash AngelicaAndrostenedioneButcher BroomBaelBaboolBambooBananaBanyanBetelBetel Nuts Bitter GourdBlack Pepper Black Plum CamphorCarrot Curd Black Root BurdockBenzoinCardamomChondroitinCinnamonChaulmoogra OilDock YellowDillEucalyptusEyebrightEphedraElderberryEuphorbiaceae Fenugreek Fig Garlic GingellyGinger GooseberryGrapes
Henna
Hogweed
Holy Basil Honey| |
Jojoba Herb Description - Herb Interactions, Dosage and Some of its Useful Properties
Taxonomic class
Simmondsiaceae
Common Trade Names
Clearly Natural Soap Bar-Jojoba Oil, Derma- E Skin Care Jojoba and E skin Oil, Desert Essence Jojoba 100 Percent Pure Oil, Queen Helene Beauty Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment
Common Forms
Available as crude wax (jojoba oil), hydrogenated jojoba wax, jojoba butter, and wax beads. Jojoba is an ingredient in cosmetics and hair treatments.
Source
Jojoba oil is obtained from Simmondsia chinensis and S. californica seeds by expression or solvent extraction.
Chemical Components
The highly stable jojoba oil (also referred to as liquid wax) contains longchain polycarbon esters of fatty acids and alcohols (eicosenoic, docosenoic, oleic and palmitoleic acids, eicosenol, docosenol); simmondsin; small quantities of campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol; vitamin E; B vitamins; silicon; chromium; copper; zinc; and iodine.
Actions
Jojoba oil is considered to have emollient properties that soothe chapped skin, psoriasis, and sunburn; relieve dry scalp; remove embedded sebum to help such scalp disorders as dandruff and hair loss; and reduce the acidity of the scalp. An atherogenic diet containing 2% jojoba oil lowered cholesterol levels in rabbits. Antioxidant activity is probably related to the alpha-tocopherol content in jojoba .
Interest in jojoba has centered around its application as a dietary supplement for animal and poultry feed . Supplementation of the diet of broiler breeder hens with jojoba was found to promote smaller-sized eggs at a reduced rate of production. It was suggested that jojoba interfered with follicle growth, yolk deposition, progesterone production, and follicular maturation in the chickens .
Reported Uses
Jojoba has been claimed to be effective in promoting hair growth and relieving skin problems. Its primary applications are to treat chapped and dry skin, dandruff, dry scalp, and psoriasis. Jojoba wax beads are used as an exfoliating agent in facial scrubs, skin conditioners, and soaps. Jojoba is also used as a replacement for petrolatum in creams, ointments, lotions, and lipsticks. Other claims include treatment of acne vulgaris, athlete's foot, cuts, eczema, hair loss, mouth sores, pimples, seborrhea, skin abrasions, warts, and wrinkles. Although little clinical evidence is available to support these claims, most applications appear to be based on theory and a long history of anecdotal use.
Dosage
No consensus on dosage exists.
Adverse Reactions
Skin: contact dermatitis (with topical use).
Interactions
None reported.
Contraindications And Precautions
Avoid systemic ingestion of large quantities of jojoba in pregnancy because of unknown and, possibly, detrimental effects.
Special Considerations
Advise the patient to consult a health care provider before using herbal preparations because a treatment that has been clinically researched and proved effective may be available.
Inform the patient that jojoba oil is for topical use only.
Alert Ingestion of S. chinensis seeds has led to toxicity.
Although no known chemical interactions have been reported in clinical studies, consideration must be given to the pharmacologic properties of the herbal product and the potential for exacerbation of the intended therapeutic effect of conventional drugs.
Points of Interest
Apache and American Southwest Indians and immigrants from Israel have been using jojoba oil to treat superficial conditions for many years.
It has been suggested that jojoba would function well as an industrial lubricant because of its ability to maintain stability at high temperatures.
Commentary
Jojoba has been used for many years by Native Americans to promote hair growth and relieve skin problems. Numerous claims have been made regarding its efficacy in treating skin and scalp disorders, but no studies gave been conducted to prove these claims. A long history of anecdotal use suggests that the oil is relatively safe if used topically.
