Plant called 'Rachet' for strong hair

[Mahalialee4]

This plant looks like a flat aloes without prickles. Or cactus. But flat. Does anyone use this as a part of their regime or mixed with anything? Some call it 'prickly pear'. Some in the islands use it to have strong locks and wash their hair with the mucilage from this plant.

 

[belldandy]

no, but i am interested. are there any products made commercially from this?

 

[Coffee]

I've heard of pricky pear and have several of them growing in my backyard. The Native Americans use them for a lot of different purposes including boiling and eating them. However, most of them have sticky needles on them, that can also be used for different reasons. I don't know if Rachet is the same as the PP I have.

 

[Mahalialee4]

I have never purchased it commercially. I wouldn't be able to help you there.

 

[yardyspice]

There is more information on "rachette" on another hair board. Apparently it goes by the following names:

Nopalea cochenillifera (Linnaeus)
Salm-Dyck

Cacto de la cochinilla,
Cayte tuna,
Chuh,
Chumbera, Cochineal,
French prickly pear,
Kaachali,
Monkey fiddle, Nochestli,
Nopal (con pocas espinas),
Nopal de San Gabriel,
Pacam,
Rachette,
Tlanopal,
Tuna (blanca),
Tuna de Espana, Tuna enana,
Tuna mansa,
Tuna real,
Tuno,
Tuno de Castilla, Urumbeba

Growing wild in Jamaica and tropical America up to 1500m in altitude.
Cultivated in West Indies and tropical Americas (part. Canary Islands), but original habitat is unknown.
In Mexico, the joints of the plant are split open and the mucilaginous flesh is applied as a poultice for ear and tooth aches, rheumatic aches, and inflamed eyes. In Trinidad and elsewhere, the same flesh is used as an emollient for burns and inflamed regions of the torso, such as internal liver and abdominal inflammation, and diarrhea. In the Yucatan, an concoction of 35 grams of pulp to 0.5 liters of water is imbibed 3-4 times daily as a diuretic for cases of urethritis, cystitis and kidney problems. The cooked joint is used as a balm on external fistulas. In Brazil, an infusion of the flesh is consumed to alleviate stomach or liver distress, and an infusion of the root is taken as a diuretic in El Salvador.
During his conquest of Mexico in 1518, Cortez was ordered by the Spanish crown to obtain as much of the plant as he could for its use as the organic dye, "cochineal." In the nineteenth century, the industry (derived from the colonization of Mexico to Peru) was taken to South Africa, Jamaica, India, and the Algiers, and economically culminated on the Canary Islands where exports (mainly to England) in 1868 exceeded 6 million pounds (US$4 million value). Cochineal was thought to be a product of the cacti flower until 1703, when with the aid of the microscope, it was determined to be of minute insect origin. The cochineal industry is of prehistoric origin.

You can find rachette in Mexican or Latino supermarkets.

 

[Coffee]

Ok, I have heard of and seen Nopal's in Hispanic and Oriental supermarkets!

 

[spoogeywoogey]

no, but i am interested. are there any products made commercially from this?

I think Sunsilk has a line with it called Anti Caida (Anti fall). I remember seeing it back in the day. Didn't purchase it at the time. HTH.

 

[Chameleonchick]

I've eaten it before, but never used it in my hair.

 

[babayred_86]

This is also good for dandruff

 

[Guitarhero]

Is it like yucca?