Possible way to protect hair from conventional peroxide damage

[ktani]

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August 16, 2008

While looking for research support for my belief that honey lightening is non damaging to hair (as well as naturally produced peroxide in general), based on reports in Honey threads, I found this.
1999
“Protection by the Flavonoids Myricetin, Quercetin, and Rutin Against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced DNA Damage …."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract


The 3 flavonoids mentioned, Myricetin, Quercetin, and Rutin are all found in honey and the peroxide boosters, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom and extra virgin olive oil. Gallic acid is found in coconut oil.
1993
"In the Ames test, gallic acid esters showed protective effects against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity …."
http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/ind...s&therow=25033


Same researchers, Date, 2007
"Experimental evidence suggests .... most herbs and spices possess .... wide range of biological and pharmacological activities .... may protect tissues against H2O2-induced damage."
http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/bjon/ab...195628!8091!-1

In honey lightening, these natural phytochemicals are in place while the peroxide is being produced and IMO, supports the reports that no hair damage has occured.

But, if you look at the implications of this, what it could potentially mean is that a herb or spice infusion, or oil, applied to the hair first and not rinsed out, could help protect the hair from hydrogen peroxide damage from conventional hair colour.

[ktani]

Of course this will not be that simple.

1. How strong an infusion is needed?

2. How long does the infusion need to be left on the hair before the hair colour is applied on top of it?

There are no doubt more questions to be answered.

[ktani]

Catnip will not work for this. It contains iron and manganese, 2 of the main minerals that can deplete peroxide.

They are, iron, manganese, copper, nickel and chromium.
http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistr...oxide/home.htm

There are plenty of other choices though, IMO.

[ktani]

Scratch mullein.

"Statistical data .... on 93 herbs .... Mullein (leaf) is the third highest plant in the nutrient iron at 23.6 mg. .... is also high in .... vitamin C. Source: Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen."
http://www.herbaleducator.com/herbs_mullein.html
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[ktani]

Chamomile looks ok to me from these statistics. See the tables on vitamin and mineral contents.
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/beverages/4020/2

German chamomile contains both quercetin and rutin and while from my experience, it can build-up on hair, that depends on how often it is used and how strong an infusion is made.
http://www.rain-tree.com/chamomile.htm

German chamomile is the least expensive and easiest to find of the 2 chamomiles on the market. It is the one found in grocery stores. Roman chamomile is mostly found online and in some health food stores. Both have many of the same constituents.

"Roman chamomile contains .... flavonoids (inc. rutin) ...."
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_chamomile_rom.htm

More on the 2 chamomiles
"Both chamomiles .... used in traditional herbalism and medicine .... German chamomile .... more frequently preferred for medicinal use."
http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldforma...article_id=100

German chamomile safety
http://www.drugs.com/npp/chamomile.html

Roman chamomile safety
http://www.florahealth.com/flora/hom...tm#SideEffects

[ktani]

Chamomile tea can add colour to the hair, but again it depends on how strong the infusion is made.

For this purpose, 1 tablespoon or less of either coconut oil or EVOO can be added. Too much oil might interfere with the hair colour's ability to do its job and take evenly. I suggest 1/2 tablespoon to start.

Both oils contain flavonoids that are protective against H202 damage.

This is a potential recipe, IMO.

While the oils contain natural peroxide, they have not been reported to lighten hair much at all on their own.

[ktani]

Roman chamomile tea contains very little oil and would not be that conditioning, IMO.

".... quantitative composition of the main aromatic and polyphenolic constituents of infusion from Chamaemelum nobile flowers .... examined. The camomile tea contained a large amount of polyphenolic compounds (340 mg/l) .... Only traces of essential oil were recovered in tea (7 mg/l).”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14693217?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

From my experience with German chamomile tea, I believe that it too, contains only trace amounts.

This can be remedied by the addition of the coconut oil or EVOO. Extra conditioning would be a bonus IMO.

Suggested method.

Make the tea, add the oil, let cool.
Apply to the hair and let it sit for a period of time, perhaps 30 minutes.
Do not rinse.
Apply hair colour and proceed as usual.

Note: This is about possibly protecting the hair from conventional peroxide damage. I do not know if this might protect the hair from ammonia damage. Ammonia is in some hair colour in addition to peroxide.

[Oskimosa]

That sounds awesome! How much protection are we talking about, though? Enough against 10 vol for an hour? Because honey has even less strength than that, I believe. Then, too, synthetic dyes usually contain ammonia. I agree that any protection is better than nothing, but we probably need to test this. I have plenty of henna hairballs, but my hair is pretty strong and I don't know if I'd be able to tell if it was damaged or not without a microscope.

[ktani]

That sounds awesome! How much protection are we talking about, though? Enough against 10 vol for an hour? Because honey has even less strength than that, I believe. Then, too, synthetic dyes usually contain ammonia. I agree that any protection is better than nothing, but we probably need to test this. I have plenty of henna hairballs, but my hair is pretty strong and I don't know if I'd be able to tell if it was damaged or not without a microscope.

I started with this research.

“…. harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide …. further reduced because honey sequesters and inactivates the free iron which catalyses the formation of oxygen free radicals produced by hydrogen peroxide .... and its antioxidant components help to mop up oxygen free radicals ....

.... papers describing the application of honey to open wounds .... been reported to be soothing .... to relieve pain .... be non-irritating ... be pain free on application .... with no adverse effects ...."
http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2001/...cal-agent.html

Then I found the abstracts, then I researched honey and the honey lightening boosters, and found that they contained the same flavonoids,
except for coconut oil. It contains this, gallic acid, which also protects cells from H202 damage.

"In the Ames test, gallic acid esters showed protective effects against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity ….
…. structure-activity relationship indicates …. similarity of the protective effects of gallic acid esters on the H2O2-induced damages to both bacterial and mammalian cells.”
http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/ind...s&therow=25033


They preincubated the cells and tried various concentrations during 24 hours.

".... aims of this study .... determine whether .... flavonoids could protect against H2O2-induced DNA damage. Both cell lines .... supplemented .... various concentrations (0-200 μM) of myricetin, quercetin, and rutin for 24 hours or H2O2(50 μM) for 30 minutes .... Exposure to 50 μM H2O2 for 30 minutes at 37°C resulted in significant DNA damage .... preincubation with the flavonoids before H2O2 exposure significantly .... protected .... against H2O2-induced DNA damage
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract

There is nothing in the abstracts to indicate that the researchers used honey for the peroxide. They just state H202, hydrogen peroxide. To me that means conventional hydrogen peroxide.

Honey lightening has the flavonoids in question built-in, protecting the hair while a treatment is working, from how I read the medical research. I think that the same applies to the peroxide boosters.

From the reports on honey lightening, the peroxide produced by honey is not damaging to hair. And from the medical research on honey, the peroxide produced by honey is not damaging to skin cells.

Now there is a better idea as to why IMO.

These same flavonoids, isolated and applied to human cells, protected them from conventional hydrogen peroxide damage in the lab.

And yes, this needs to be tested but I do not think that it can hurt to try it in any case, before a hair colour is applied.

[ktani]

I do not think that a honey lightening treatment would protect the hair from the addition of conventional peroxide to a recipe, which is where I got this idea, after going over the research material I had found.

In order to protect the hair from conventional hydrogen peroxide, the hair needs to be treated with the flavonoids in advance and apparently left on for a time. Preincubation is the key IMO, most likely to fully saturate the cells.

“…. harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide …. further reduced because honey sequesters and inactivates the free iron which catalyses the formation of oxygen free radicals produced by hydrogen peroxide .... and its antioxidant components help to mop up oxygen free radicals ....”
http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2001/...cal-agent.html

Another way to look a sequester is chelate, which is what these flavonoids also do. So the free iron is inactivated before it starts the formation of the free radicals.

“The ability of the phenolic compounds which chelate iron …. gallic acid ….”
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...f753f331eb3464

“The protective ability of quercetin and rutin …. related to their iron-chelating activity”
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...a250497efbe110

“These results suggested that the protective effects of myricetin …. attributed to the myricetin-suppressed iron toxicity.”
http://www.neuroreport.com/pt/re/neu...195628!8091!-1

I think that for the honey lightening peroxide boosters, it operates the the same way.

None of the boosters, (ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil) have been reported to cause hair damage when used on the hair for other applications. Cardamom has only been used in honey lightening recipes, that I know of but no problems were reported, other than irritation (it can be a sensitizer).