ABSTRACT:
Hair loss or Alopecia can occur in the hair on the scalp or on all parts of the body. Alopecia is something that most people fear. The wera (Malvaviscus arboreus Cav.) leaf has long been used by Kampung Naga community, Salawu sub-district, Tasikmalaya, West Java as one of the herbal treatment efforts to increase the hair growth done hereditary. The objective of this study was to scientific proof of the traditional use of the Wera leaf. The leaves were collected and macerated with ethanol 70% and fractionated with ethyl acetate and hexane solvents. The extract and its fractions tested its hair growth stimulator activity based on Tanaka modification method and using minoxidil 2% as a positive control. The analysis results were evaluated statistically. It was found that the extract gave significant activity with 15% concentration giving the same growing power with positive control. In testing of Wera leaf fractions, n-hexane fraction was the fraction that has the most optimum hair growth. It was concluded that Wera leaf scientifically had a potential in stimulating hair growth and could be used as anti-alopecia treatment. Further experiments are needed to find the chemical compound content that is responsible for the nature of hair growth.