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The National Museum of the Philippines featured a plant species commonly used for washing hair in the early times – the “Gugo”.

You might have already encountered a shampoo brand with “gugo extract”. “Gugo” or Entada phaseoloides is a native woody vine from the legume family and is native to the Philippines.


Its bark has long been used to wash hair and is made into a hair tonic. The bark is soaked in water and squished to obtain a foamy liquid (sud) which is then used as a shampoo to improve hair growth. Filipinos in earlier times who used “gugo” as their shampoo often had shiny and thick hair.


The plant produces giant pods which grow up to a meter or more. Studies also suggest that parts of the “Gugo” plant have antidiabetic, analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. You may check out the actual gugo pod specimen exhibited in the Gallery VI of the National Museum of Natural History building during your next visit.


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