The Effects of Traditional Kurdistan Plant Extracts on Rat Hair Growth in vivo

Karzan G. Khidhir, Kochar I Mahmood

Department of Biology, Collage of Science, university of Sulaimani, Kurdistan region, Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17656/jzs.10560

Abstract

Pathologies of hair growth can be psychologically distressing but they are poorly controlled. Hormones and paracrine factors regulate the hair follicle and its associated glands. However, our understanding of their mechanisms is limited, restricting the development of new treatments for hair disorders. Therefore better treatments for hair loss disorders are required. Some plant extracts are believed to have effect on hair growth. Few local plants in Kurdistan region are used traditionally as stimulators of human hair growth, but their effects on hair growth scientifically has not been studied yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the actual effects of those local plant extracts used as a traditional herbal treatment for hair loss, using in vivo rat model (Wistar-Bratislava rats); and to compare their effectiveness with the best medical treatment available (Minoxidil). The effects of extracts from Myrtus (Myrtus communis), Galls (Quercus infectoria), Oak (Quercus aegilops) both separately and mixed at the recommended concentrations were compared with the medical treatment for hair loss and a negative control group. Shaved backs of Wistar rats (6 weeks old) were treated daily for 42 days (six groups, n=6 per group), and the degree of their effectiveness was observed and compared with each other and with both positive and negative controls. Results show that the mixture of the three plants extracts and Minoxidil have similar significant hair growth promotion effect compared to other groups. Therefore, extracts from Myrtus, Galls and Oak stimulate rodent pelage follicles in vivo suggesting they can be used as promoter of hair growth in human.

Key Words: Hair growth, in vivo study, plant extracts, Wistar rats.

References

[1] Schneider, M.R., R. Schmidt-Ullrich, and R. Paus, "The hair follicle as a dynamic miniorgan". Curr Biol, Vol. 19, No.3, pp R132-142. (2009).

[2] Paus, R. and G. Cotsarelis, "The biology of hair follicles". N Engl J Med, Vol. 341, No. 7, pp 491-497. (1999).

[3] Fuchs, E., et al., "At the roots of a never-ending cycle". Dev Cell, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp 13-25. (2001).

[4] Panteleyev, A.A., C.A. Jahoda, and A.M. Christiano, "Hair follicle predetermination". J Cell Sci, Vol. 114, (Pt 19), pp 3419-3431.(2001).

[5] Higgins, C.A., et al., "Exogen involves gradual release of the hair club fibre in the vibrissa follicle model", Exp Dermatol, Vol. 18, No. 9, pp 793-795.( 2009).

[6] Higgins, C.A., et al., "Microenvironmental reprogramming by three-dimensional culture enables dermal papilla cells to induce de novo human hair-follicle growth". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, Vol.110, NO. 49, pp 19679-19688. (2013).

[7] Girman, C.J., et al., "Effects of self-perceived hair loss in a community sample of men". Dermatology, Vol. 197, No. 3, pp 223-229. (1998).

[8] Cash, T.F., "The psychosocial consequences of androgenetic alopecia: a review of the research literature". Br J Dermatol, Vol. 141, No. 3, pp 398-405. (1999).

[9] Girman, C.J., et al., "Patient-perceived importance of negative effects of androgenetic alopecia in women". J Womens Health Gend Based Med, Vol. 8, No. 8, pp 1091-1095. (1999).

[10] Hordinsky, M.K., "Current Treatments for Alopecia Areata". J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp 44-46. (2015).

[11] Vary, J.C., Jr., "Selected Disorders of Skin Appendages-Acne, Alopecia, Hyperhidrosis". Med Clin North Am, Vol. 55, No. 6, pp 1195-1211. (2015).

[12] Shorter, K., et al., "Human hair follicles contain two forms of ATP-sensitive potassium channels, only one of which is sensitive to minoxidil". FASEB J, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp 1725-1736. (2009).

[13] Erdogrul, Ö.T., Antibacterial activities of some plant extracts used in folk medicine. Pharmaceutical Biology, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp 269-273. (2002).

[14] Ahmad, S.A. and A.A. Askari, "Ethnobotany of the Hawraman Region of Kurdistan Iraq". Harvard Papers in Botany, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 85-89. (2015).

[15] Randall, V.A., "Androgens and human hair growth". Clin Endocrinol (Oxf), Vol. 40, No. 4, pp 439-457. (1994).

[16] Lourith, N. and M. Kanlayavattanakul, "Hair loss and herbs for treatment". Journal of cosmetic dermatology, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp 210-222.( 2013).

[17] Chalchat, J.-C., R.-P. Garry, and A. Michet, "Essential oils of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) of the Mediterranean littoral". Journal of essential oil Research, Vol. 10, No.6, pp 613-617. (1998).

[18] Alipour, G., S. Dashti, and H. Hosseinzadeh, "Review of pharmacological effects of Myrtus communis L and its active constituents". Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 28, No. 8, pp 1125-1136. (2014).

[19] Sumbul, S., et al., "Myrtus communis Linn. A review". Indian J Nat Prod Resour, Vol. 2, No.4, pp 395-402. (2011).

[20] Digrak, M., et al., "Antibacterial and antifungal effects of various commercial plant extracts". Pharmaceutical Biology, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp 216-220.(1999).

[21] Jayaprasad, B., D. Thamayandhi, and P. Sharavanan, "Traditionally using antidiabetic medicinal plants in Tamil Nadu". IJRPB, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp 1-8. (2012).

[22] Sharma, B., P. Kumar, and S.C. Joshi, "Topical treatment of dermatophytic lesion on mice (Mus musculus) model". Indian journal of microbiology, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp 217-222.(2011).

[23] Roh, S.-S., et al., "The hair growth promoting effect of Sophora flavescens extract and its molecular regulation". Journal of dermatological science, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp 43-49.(2002).

[24] Yoon, J.I., S.M. Al-Reza, and S.C. Kang, "Hair growth promoting effect of Zizyphus jujuba essential oil". Food and chemical toxicology,Vol. 48, No. 5, pp. 1350-1354. (2010).

View Full Article