Formulation and Evaluation of Herbal Shampoo containing Red Dragon Fruit Peel Extract (Hylocereus polyrhizus (Hook.) Britton & Rose): toward A Potential Anti-Dandruff Application

Desti Kameliani (Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Science, Muhammadiyah University of Kuningan, Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia)
Sukmawati Sukmawati (Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Science, Muhammadiyah University of Kuningan, Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia)
Herliningsih Herliningsih (Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Science, Muhammadiyah University of Kuningan, Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia)
Cucu Suhartini (Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Science, Muhammadiyah University of Kuningan, Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia)

Journal of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Vol 14, No 3 (2026): J.Food.Pharm.Sci

Dandruff is a common scalp condition influenced by factors such as an oily scalp, hormones, and fungal infections. Red dragon fruit peel (Hylocereus polyrhizus) contains flavonoids with natural antimicrobial activity, making it a promising natural ingredient for scalp care. This study aimed to develop and evaluate herbal shampoo containing red dragon fruit peel extract. Four formulations were prepared with different concentrations of extract: F0 (base), F1 (6.25%), F2 (12.5%), and F3 (25%). Each was assessed for organoleptic properties, homogeneity, pH, viscosity, foam height, and foam stability. The stability test was evaluated using a cycling test. Data analysis with One-way ANOVA revealed that extract concentration significantly influenced pH and viscosity stability (p < 0.05). F1 showed optimal physical properties and complied with SNI 06-2692-1992 standards. These findings support the potential use of red dragon fruit peel extract in herbal shampoo formulations for future anti-dandruff applications.