Biotransformation of Cacumen platycladi Extract by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM1348 Promotes Hair Growth in Mice

Cacumen platycladi (CP) is a frequently used traditional Chinese medicine to treat hair loss. In this study, CP fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM1348 increased the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells. In an in vivo assay, compared to nonfermented CP, postbiotics (fermented CP) and synbiotics (live bacteria with nonfermented CP) promoted hair growth in mice. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays crucial roles in the development of hair follicles, including growth cycle restart and maintenance. Both postbiotics and synbiotics upregulated β-catenin, a major factor of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Postbiotics and synbiotics also increased the vascular endothelial growth factor expression and decreased the BAX/Bcl2 ratio in the dorsal skin of mice. These results suggest that fermented CP by L. plantarum CCFM1348 may promote hair growth through regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, promoting the expression of growth factors and reducing apoptosis.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of hair growth potential of Cacumen Platycladi, and GC-MS analysis of the active constituents of volatile oil

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cacumen Platycladi (CP) is the leaves of Platycladus orientalis which has been traditionally used to resist alopecia and promote hair growth. However, no study has been reported on the effects of CP on proliferation of dermal papilla cells (DPCs). And there is also no complete and systematic research on hair re-growth efficacies of CP.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the hair-growth activity of their extracts on the proliferation of DPCs and the promotion of hair reproduction in C57BL/6 mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For the DPCs, different extract fractions of CP were investigated. The hair growth effect of CP volatile oil on C57BL/6 mice was evaluated for 28 days. Meanwhile, the chemical constituents of the volatile oil from Cacumen Platycladi were isolated and identified by GC-MS.

RESULTS

The study showed that the extracts of CP could promote the proliferation of DPCs, and the activity of volatile oil was the best. CP volatile oil (100 μg/mL) resulted in stronger proliferation of DPCs by 239.8% compared with control (100%) and minoxidil (130.3%) during the 48 h incubation. And no obvious cytotoxic activity was observed when volatile oil was dosed up to 500 μg/mL. At different growth stages, mice treated with 0.2 g/kg CP volatile oil required shorter time than 2% minoxidil. Hair length for 0.2 g/kg CP volatile oil treated group was longer than those of minoxidil and control. Further histological observation indicated that CP volatile oil could prolonged the anagen phase of hair follicles. Moreover, thirty four components, with contents of 81.9% of the total volatile oils, were separaed and identified.

CONCLUSION

The CP volatile oil may have the potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of alopecia.