Speaker
Description
Holi colours (gulal) have been used traditionally in India for several years. Due to recent trends, gulal has reached the international market in Europe and the USA. These mesmerizing colours have found their use for both religious and entertainment purposes. Despite having a surge of demand in the market, the labeling of the ingredients is not clear. Often times there is no scientific assessment of the quality, and source of ingredients used. Additionally, little to no information regarding the potentially toxic effects of synthetic as well as organic gulal is given on the packaging. The contents of gulal are often mixed in a base of engine oil or other inferior quality oil to form a paste that is easier to apply on the skin. Moreover, liquid colours contain chemicals like gentian violet, methylene blue, potassium permanganate, and so on. These chemicals have the potential to cause a plethora of diseases such as skin cancer, respiratory tract infection, allergies, etc. but they are sold without any restrictions in the form of powder gulal. Considering all these, it is essential to have a gulal that is safe for external use in people of all age groups. Hence, herbal gulal was made using the methanolic extract from flower petals of Hibiscus rosa sinensis L., with rice flour used as a base. The ethanolic extract was pharmacognostically evaluated to determine the colouring pigments. Based on the results, the extract was used to create the final product.