Abstract
Context Although Salvia plebeia (SP) R. Brown (Labiatae) is known to possess various biological activities, the effects of SP on hair growth have not been elucidated. Objective To investigate the hair growth potential of SP extract by using human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and C57BL/6 mice. Materials and methods The entire SP plant sample was ground into powder and extracted with 99.9% methyl alcohol. Various concentrations of SP extract were added to hDPCs to evaluate the proliferation, migration, and factors related to hair growth and cycling. Effect of topical SP administration on hair regrowth was tested in vivo in male C57BL/6 mice for 21 days. Results SP extract significantly increased the proliferation of cultured hDPCs at doses of 15.6 and 31.3 μg/mL compared to control group by 123% and 132%, respectively. Expression of hepatocyte growth factor increased while the level of TGF-β1 and SMAD2/3 decreased when treated with SP extract. At the molecular level, the extract activated Wnt/β-catenin signalling by raising β-catenin and phospho-GSK3β expression. SP extract also exerted anti-apoptotic and proliferative effects in hDPCs by increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and activating cell proliferation-related proteins, ERK and Akt. Finally, the extract caused an induction of the anagen phase leading to significantly enhanced hair growth in treated male mice. Discussion and conclusion Our results indicate that SP extract has the capacity to activate hDPCs into a proliferative state to promote hair growth. Further research is necessary to determine the bioactive components and their mechanisms of action responsible for SP-related hair growth effect.
Highlights
The hair follicle, distributed over the human body, is one of the most complex mini-organs waiting to be explored
Salvia plebeia (SP) extract significantly enhanced the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in a dose-dependent manner at the concentrations of 3.9, 7.8, 15.6, 31.3 and 62.5 lg/mL compared with negative controls (NC) group
The results indicated that SP extract concentrations from 3.9 to 62.5 lg/mL were considered for the hDPCs, and were used in subsequent experiments
Summary
The hair follicle, distributed over the human body, is one of the most complex mini-organs waiting to be explored. The mature hair follicle is composed of different concentric cylinders of epithelial cells, inner outer root sheaths, which are surrounding the hair shaft (Enshell-Seijffers et al 2010). Dermal papilla cells (DPC), a group of dermal cells encapsulated by the epithelial matrix cells, are believed to generate signal factors that mediate the behaviour of keratinocytes in the follicle, thereby playing an essential function in hair cycling and growth (Kishimoto et al 2000; Botchkarev and Kishimoto 2003). Growth factors released from the DPC such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are believed to modulate the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells to form the hair shaft (Taylor et al 2000; Oshima et al 2001; Botchkarev and Kishimoto 2003; Enshell-Seijffers et al 2010). Many studies have shown that transforming growth factor-b1/2 (TGF-b1/2) secreted by DPC results in apoptotic cell death of epithelial cells as well as anagen-to-catagen transition of hair follicle cycle (Inui et al 2002; Soma et al 2002)
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