Mechanistic Studies on the Use of Polygonum multiflorum for the Treatment of Hair Graying

Use of herbal medication in the perioperative period: Potential adverse drug interactions

Use of herbal medications and supplements has experienced immense growth over the last two decades, with retail sales in the USA exceeding $13 billion in 2021. Since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 reduced FDA oversight, these products have become less regulated. Data from 2012 shows 18% of U.S. adults used non-vitamin, non-mineral natural products. Prevalence varies regionally, with higher use in Western states. Among preoperative patients, the most commonly used herbal medications included garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, St. John's wort, and echinacea. However, 50-70% of surgical patients fail to disclose their use of herbal medications to their physicians, and most fail to discontinue them preoperatively. Since herbal medications can interact with anesthetic medications administered during surgery, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) recommend stopping herbal medications 1-2 weeks before elective surgical procedures. Potential adverse drug effects related to preoperative use of herbal medications involve the coagulation system (e.g., increasing the risk of perioperative bleeding), the cardiovascular system (e.g., arrhythmias, hypotension, hypertension), the central nervous system (e.g., sedation, confusion, seizures), pulmonary (e.g., coughing, bronchospasm), renal (e.g., diuresis) and endocrine-metabolic (e.g., hepatic dysfunction, altered metabolism of anesthetic drugs). During the preoperative evaluation, anesthesiologists should inquire about the use of herbal medications to anticipate potential adverse drug interactions during the perioperative period.

Phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and detoxification of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.: a comprehensive review

Background

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PM), a kind of perennial plant, belongs to the genus Polygonum of the family polygonaceae.The dry root of PM (also called Heshouwu), is a traditional Chinese medicine, which has a series of functions and is widely used in clinic for hair lossing, aging, and insomnia. While, PM also has some toxicity, its clinical drug safety has been concerned. In this paper, the chemical components, toxic mechanisms and detoxification strategies of PM were reviewed in order to provide evidence for its clinical application.

Materials and methods

We conducted a systematic review of published literature of PM, including English and Chinese databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang.

Results

PM contains a variety of chemical compounds, including stilbenes, quinones, flavonoids, phospholipids, and has many pharmacological activities such as anti-aging, wound healing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The PE has certain therapeutic effect, and it has certain toxicity like hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and embryotoxicity at the same time, but.these toxic effects could be effectively reduced by processing and compatibility.

Conclusion

It is necessary to further explore the pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms of the main active compounds of PE.This article provides scientific basis for the safe clinical application of PM.

Reversing Gray Hair: Inspiring the Development of New Therapies Through Research on Hair Pigmentation and Repigmentation Progress

Hair graying is a common and visible sign of aging resulting from decreased or absence of melanogenesis. Although it has been established that gray hair greatly impacts people's mental health and social life, there is no effective countermeasure other than hair dyes. It has long been thought that reversal of gray hair on a large scale is rare. However, a recent study reported that individual gray hair darkening is a common phenomenon, suggesting the possibility of large-scale reversal of gray hair. In this article, we summarize the regulation mechanism of melanogenesis and review existing cases of hair repigmentation caused by several factors, including monoclonal antibodies drugs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), immunomodulators, other drugs, micro-injury, and tumors, and speculate on the mechanisms behind them. This review offers some insights for further research into the modulation of melanogenesis and presents a novel perspective on the development of clinical therapies, with emphasis on topical treatments.

Rapid quality evaluation of four kinds of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata by electronic eye combined with chemometrics

INTRODUCTION

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., a widely used herbal medicine, has trouble with the hepatic adverse effect. Processing is an effective method to increase potency and reduce the adverse effects of herbal medicines. Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata (PMRP), the decoction pieces processed from raw material, is widely consumed in clinical practice in many countries. The quality control of PMRP has attracted more and more attention worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

A simple and rapid quality evaluation method using an electronic eye (E-eye) combined with chemometrics was proposed for controlling the quality of PMRP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The semi-quantitative and quantitative data of 105 major components in 128 batches of PMRP samples obtained by three different analysis instruments were fused to investigate the correlation with the dynamic exterior colour determined by E-eye. The correlation between exterior colour and chemical fusion dataset was investigated by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR). According to the results of correlation analysis, the color parameters of high-quality PMRP was set.

RESULTS

Correlation studies by chemometrics revealed that the exterior colour depth was significantly correlated with 32 components [variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 1.0, p < 0.05]. The colour parameter of E * ab located in the range of 46.69-51.66 can be used easily, rapidly, and in an environment-friendly way to determine whether the PMRP sample has reached sufficient processing time with good quality.

CONCLUSION

This study adds some scientific information to our understanding of traditional medicine while contributing an alternative method for assessing the quality of other decoction pieces.

Integrated spatially resolved metabolomics and network toxicology to investigate the hepatotoxicity mechanisms of component D of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The liver toxicity of Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke. (Polygonaceae) (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, PM) has always attracted much attention, but the related toxicity materials and mechanisms have not been elucidated due to multi-component and multi-target characteristics. In previous hepatotoxicity screening, different components of PM were first evaluated and the hepatotoxicity of component D [95% ethanol (EtOH) elution] in a 70% EtOH extract of PM (PM-D) showed the highest hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, the main components of PM-D were identified and their hepatotoxicity was evaluated based on a zebrafish embryo model. However, the hepatotoxicity mechanism of PM-D is unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This work is to explore the hepatotoxicity mechanisms of PM-D by integrating network toxicology and spatially resolved metabolomics strategy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A hepatotoxicity interaction network of PM-D was constructed based on toxicity target prediction for eight key toxic ingredients and a hepatotoxicity target collection. Then the key signaling pathways were enriched, and molecular docking verification was implemented to evaluate the ability of toxic ingredients to bind to the core targets. The pathological changes of liver tissues and serum biochemical assays of mice were used to evaluate the liver injury effect of mice with oral administration of PM-D. Furthermore, spatially resolved metabolomics was used to visualize significant differences in metabolic profiles in mice after drug administration, to screen hepatotoxicity-related biomarkers and analyze metabolic pathways.

RESULTS

The contents of four key toxic compounds in PM-D were detected. Network toxicology identified 30 potential targets of liver toxicity of PM-D. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the hepatotoxicity of PM-D involved multiple biological activities, including cellular response to endogenous stimulus, organonitrogen compound metabolic process, regulation of the apoptotic process, regulation of kinase, regulation of reactive oxygen species metabolic process and signaling pathways including PI3K-Akt, AMPK, MAPK, mTOR, Ras and HIF-1. The molecular docking confirmed the high binding activity of 8 key toxic ingredients with 10 core targets, including mTOR, PIK3CA, AKT1, and EGFR. The high distribution of metabolites of PM-D in the liver of administrated mice was recognized by mass spectrometry imaging. Spatially resolved metabolomics results revealed significant changes in metabolic profiles after PM-D administration, and metabolites such as taurine, taurocholic acid, adenosine, and acyl-carnitines were associated with PM-D-induced liver injury. Enrichment analyses of metabolic pathways revealed tht linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism, carnitine synthesis, oxidation of branched-chain fatty acids, and six other metabolic pathways were significantly changed. Comprehensive analysis revealed that the hepatotoxicity caused by PM-D was closely related to cholestasis, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress and energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the hepatotoxicity mechanisms of PM-D were comprehensively identified through an integrated spatially resolved metabolomics and network toxicology strategy, providing a theoretical foundation for the toxicity mechanisms of PM and its safe clinical application.

Global Perspective of Plant-Based Cosmetic Industry and Possible Contribution of Sri Lanka to the Development of Herbal Cosmetics

The global consumption of plant-based cosmetics has shown spectacular growth in recent years because of rising consumer awareness regarding the long-term health benefits of natural ingredients. As the global demand for herbal cosmetics increases, there are ample opportunities for Sri Lanka as a tropical Asian country to expand its productions and global exports along with its unique biodiversity and inherited traditional knowledge. Therefore, the present review attempts to give an overview of the widely used medicinal plants in the global herbal cosmetic industry and strengths, challenges, and possible solutions for the development of the herbal cosmetic industry of Sri Lanka. Information was collected using electronic search (using Pub Med, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, TEEAL, and Scopus) for articles published in peer-reviewed journals, industrial reports, market surveys, and library search for local books on ethnobotany. Important plant-derived ingredients used in the global herbal cosmetic industry are essential oils, colorants, oils, fats, and waxes. The traditional usage of 108 medicinal plant species (belonging to 58 families) in cosmetic treatments was identified from the local books of Sri Lanka. Of these, 49 plant species were reported as new ingredients for the herbal cosmetic industry. However, the lack of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological surveys to identify the cosmetic potential plants, insufficient or absence of continuous supply of raw materials for production in line with the existing demand, the lack of quality control of raw materials and finished cosmetic products, improper systematic cultivation systems for medicinal plants, poor postharvest practices, and the lack of innovations are major challenges encountered in Sri Lanka for the development of the herbal cosmetic industry. In conclusion, addressing these vital knowledge gaps is a timely requirement of the country for the sustainable development of the herbal cosmetic industry in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, assembling of the multidisciplinary cooperation of botanists, chemists, toxicologists, researchers, and biologists is crucial to analyze the interesting functional properties, efficacy, and effectiveness of documented medicinal plants with cosmetic potential.

Review on Plants with Traditional Uses and Bio-Activity Against Hair Graying

Abstract:

Hair graying occurs worldwide, and it has a high impact on the self-esteem of an individual. Hair graying is a melanogenesis disorder that can be attributed to many factors, including age, oxidative stress, psychological stress, and malnutrition. Though there are effective p-phenylenediamine based hair dyes, they often cause allergy and systematic toxicity. Plants are popular a traditional remedy for the management of hair disorders. Due to their high chemical diversity, phytoproducts offer great promises to develop an effective and safe product to manage hair graying and melanogenesis disorders. The aim of the present article is to review plants with traditional uses and bio-activity against hair graying. An extensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases using many combinations of the following keywords: plants used to treat gray hair, natural products, hair graying, melanogenesis, pigmentation, and tyrosinase activity. This review documented about sixty-one plants, including a summary of 47 plants frequently used in traditional medicine, and a brief review of fourteen plants showing promising activity against hair graying. The active constituents and the mechanisms by which active constituents exert anti-hair graying effects were also reviewed.

Root Cultures, a Boon for the Production of Valuable Compounds: A Comparative Review

Medicinal plants are an inevitable source of pharmaceutical drugs and most of the world population depends on these plants for health benefits. The increasing global demand for bioactive compounds from medicinal plants has posed a great threat to their existence due to overexploitation. Adventitious root and hairy root culture systems are an alternative approach to the conventional method for mass production of valuable compounds from medicinal plants owing to their rapid growth, biosynthetic and genetic stability. The main purpose of this review is to investigate the recent scientific research published worldwide on the application of adventitious and hairy root cultures to produce valuable compounds from medicinal plants. Furthermore, a comparison of adventitious root vs. hairy root cultures to produce valuable compounds has also been discussed. Various aspects such as medium composition, carbon source, pH, amount of macronutrients, optimization strategy, scale-up cultures, and use of biotic abiotic and nano-elicitors at various concentrations are the topic of discussion in this review. Several studies on adventitious and hairy root cultures of Polygonum multiflorum&cedil; Withania somnifera&cedil; Echinacea purpurea and Ajuga bracteosa have been discussed in detail which highlights the importance of elicitation strategies and bioreactor system, presenting commercial applications.

Biomarkers and Mechanism Analysis for Polygoni Multiflori Radix Preparata-Induced Liver Injury by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS-Based Metabolomics

BACKGROUND

Polygonum Multiflorum Radix Preparata (PMP), prepared from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PM), is traditionally valued for its liver and kidney-tonifying effects. However, the previous studies showed that PMP was hepatotoxic, which limited its clinical use. Unfortunately, the potential hepatotoxic ingredients and the molecular mechanism are still uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to find out potential biomarkers of hepatotoxicity using metabolomics profile.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

60% ethanol extract of PMP (PMPE) was prepared. Subsequently, an untargeted metabolomics technology in combination with ROC curve analysis method was applied to investigate the alteration of plasma metabolites in rats after oral administration of PMPE (40 g/kg/d) for 28 days.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the significant difference in metabolic profiling was observed in the PMPE-induced liver injury group, and sixteen highly specific biomarkers were identified. These metabolites were mainly enriched into bile acids, lipids, and energy metabolisms, indicating that PMPE-induced liver injury could be related to cholestasis and dysregulated lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is contributed to understand the potential pathogenesis of PMP-induced liver injury. The metabonomic method may be a valuable tool for the clinical diagnosis of PMP-induced liver injury.

Otoprotective Effect of 2,3,4',5-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-Glucoside on Gentamicin-Induced Apoptosis in Mouse Cochlear UB/OC-2 Cells

Excessive levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) lead to mitochondrial damage and apoptotic cell death in gentamicin-induced ototoxicity. 2,3,4',5-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside (THSG), a bioactive constituent, isolated from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., exhibits numerous biological benefits in treating aging-related diseases by suppressing oxidative damage. However, its protective effect on gentamicin-induced ototoxicity remains unexplored. Therefore, here, we aimed to investigate the otoprotective effect of THSG on gentamicin-induced apoptosis in mouse cochlear UB/OC-2 cells. We evaluated the effect of gentamicin and THSG on the ROS level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, mitochondrial membrane potential, nuclear condensation, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was assessed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying its preventive effects. The findings demonstrated that gentamicin increased ROS generation, LDH release, and promoted apoptotic cell death in UB/OC-2 cells. However, THSG treatment reversed these effects by suppressing ROS production and downregulating the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway. Additionally, it increased the SOD activity, decreased the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, alleviated the levels of the apoptotic cells, and impaired cytotoxicity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that THSG could be a potential therapeutic option to attenuate gentamicin-induced ototoxicity.

Eriodictyon angustifolium extract, but not Eriodictyon californicum extract, reduces human hair greying

OBJECTIVE

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon angustifolium and Eriodictyon californicum) has been used for many years in traditional medicine. However, the effect of Yerba Santa on melanogenesis has not yet been investigated. We aimed to assess the biological effects of Yerba Santa on hair pigmentation.

METHODS

Yerba Santa extracts were assessed for their cytological effects following X-ray irradiation treatment and then tested directly for the prevention of human hair greying. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was utilized to identify the individual extract components.

RESULTS

Eriodictyon angustifolium extract significantly increased melanin synthesis in the melanoma cell line through activation of the WNT/MITF/tyrosinase-signalling pathway. In contrast, E. californicum had no effect on melanin synthesis. E. angustifolium extract also demonstrated a protective effect against the damage induced by X-ray irradiation in human keratinocytes. Application of the extracts to subjects who had grey beards demonstrated a reduced number of grey beard hair per year specifically with the E. angustifolium extract. A significant decrease in grey head hair was also observed after application of E. angustifolium extract. Upregulation of gene expression related to melanin production and WNT signalling was observed after the application of E. angustifolium extract. Sterubin was the most abundant flavonoid detected by UPLC in E. angustifolium extract. In addition, sterubin showed the highest difference in terms of quantity, between E. angustifolium and E. californicum extract.

CONCLUSION

Eriodictyon angustifolium extract, which is abundant in sterubin, may be suitable as a potential cosmetic and medical agent for the prevention and improvement of hair greying.

Polygonum multiflorum-Induced Liver Injury: Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors, Material Basis, Action Mechanism and Current Challenges

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PM), called Heshouwu in China, is a popular Chinese medicine in clinical practice. Several clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the traditional therapeutic claims and to study the potential therapeutic activity of PM in dyslipidemia and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting available clinical evidence. In recent years, reports on clinical adverse reactions of Raw Radix P. multiflorum (RPM) and P. multiflorum Praeparata (PMP) have been on the increase, especially with respect to liver injury. Most liver injury cases had been assessed for causality using RUCAM (Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method) in this paper. However, the components of PM responsible for the reported hepatotoxic effects have not yet been identified. Moreover, many of the reports are contradictory, while studies on the mechanism involved in PM-induced liver damage are not comprehensive. This study was aimed at reviewing the status of research on liver injury due to PM, including clinical characteristics, risk factors, material basis research and mechanism of action, with a view to understanding PM-induced hepatotoxicity, and taking reasonable and effective measures to prevent it. In short, quality control is still one of the major safety problems in TCM drug safety concerns. The model of safety monitoring and risk management of PM drugs is not yet developed. Indeed, the characteristics and risk factors associated with PM require both proper understanding and control of the risk by strengthening standardization of clinical applications, basic science research, quality control in manufacturing, active monitoring methodology and enhancement of international communication and cooperation. Measures should also be encouraged and implemented to promote healthy development of the TCM industry.

Metabolomics profiling of Polygoni Multiflori Radix and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Preparata extracts using UPLC-Q/TOF-MS

Background

The side effects caused by Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata (PMRP) have often appeared globally. There is no research on the changes of endogenous metabolites among PMR- and PMRP-treated rats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the varying metabolomic effects between PMR- and PMRP-treated rats. We tried to discover relevant differences in biomarkers and endogenous metabolic pathways.

Methods

Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to find pathological changes. Biochemical indicators were also measured, one-way analysis of variance with Dunnett’s multiple comparison test was used for biochemical indicators comparison among various groups. Metabolomics analysis based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) was performed to find the changes in metabolic biomarkers. Multivariate statistical approaches such as principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied to reveal group clustering trend, evaluate and maximize the discrimination between the two groups. MetaboAnalyst 4.0 was performed to find and confirm the pathways.

Results

PMR extracts exhibited slight hepatotoxic effects on the liver by increasing aspartate and alanine aminotransferase levels. Twenty-nine metabolites were identified as biomarkers, belonging to five pathways, including alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis.

Conclusion

This study provided a comprehensive description of metabolomic changes between PMR- and PMRP-treated rats. The underlying mechanisms require further research.

Therapeutics of premature hair graying: A long journey ahead

Premature graying of hair has major psychosocial and socioeconomic repercussion, as it is considered as a sign of hastily progressing old age, ill health and often leads to loss of self-esteem. Hair is said to gray prematurely when it happens before the age of 20 years in Caucasians, 25 years in Asians, and 30 years in Africans. The hair color chiefly depends on melanin pigment, and fabrication of this pigment takes place in melanosomes through the process of melanogenesis. This complex biochemical pathway (melanogenesis) is further dependent on tyrosinase which acts as fuel.The normal human scalp is subjected to various factors categorized as intrinsic and extrinsic leading to graying of hair. Intrinsic factors comprise of variants responsible for changes at genetic level while extrinsic factors include air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, smoking, and nutrition. It has been proposed that direct or indirect effect of all these factors results in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus leading to further damage. Though research has expanded in last few years in terms of microscopic, biochemical (hormonal, enzymatic), and molecular changes happening within hair follicle/shaft, still the exact mechanism leading to premature graying of hair is not well understood. Probable solutions toward this quandary are diet, herbal remedies, and temporary hair colorants. Ironically, the latter one being the most common has various side effects such as allergic reactions, inflammation, and hair loss. The aim of this paper was to review the manifestation and probable future interventions in preventing premature hair graying.

Efficacy of an agonist of α-MSH, the palmitoyl tetrapeptide-20, in hair pigmentation

OBJECTIVE

Hair greying (i.e., canities) is a component of chronological ageing and occurs regardless of gender or ethnicity. Canities is directly linked to the loss of melanin and increase in oxidative stress in the hair follicle and shaft. To promote hair pigmentation and reduce the hair greying process, an agonist of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a biomimetic peptide (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-20; PTP20) was developed. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of the designed peptide on hair greying.

METHODS

Effect of the PTP20 on the enzymatic activity of catalase and the production of H₂ O₂ by Human Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells (HFDPC) was evaluated. Influence of PTP20 on the expression of melanocortin receptor-1 (MC1-R) and the production of melanin were investigated. Enzymatic activity of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) after treatment with PTP20 was also determined. Ex vivo studies using human micro-dissected hairs allowed to visualize the effect of PTP20 on the expression in hair follicle of catalase, TRP-1, TRP-2, Melan-A, ASIP, and MC1-R. These investigations were completed by a clinical study on 15 human male volunteers suffering from premature canities.

RESULTS

The in vitro and ex vivo studies revealed the capacity of the examined PTP20 peptide to enhance the expression of catalase and to decrease (30%) the intracellular level of H₂ O₂ . Moreover, PTP20 was shown to activate in vitro and ex vivo the melanogenesis process. In fact, an increase in the production of melanin was shown to be correlated with elevated expression of MC1-R, TRP-1, and Melan-A, and with the reduction in ASIP expression. A modulation on TRP-2 was also observed. The pivotal role of MC1-R was confirmed on protein expression analysed on volunteer's plucked hairs after 3 months of the daily application of lotion containing 10 ppm of PTP20 peptide.

CONCLUSION

The current findings demonstrate the ability of the biomimetic PTP20 peptide to preserve the function of follicular melanocytes. The present results suggest potential cosmetic application of this newly designed agonist of α-MSH to promote hair pigmentation and thus, reduce the hair greying process.

Tetrahydroxystilbene Glucoside Effectively Prevents Apoptosis Induced Hair Loss

The effect of Polygonum multiflorum against hair loss has been widely recognized. 2,3,5,4′-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (TSG) is the main component of Polygonum multiflorum; however, its role in hair regeneration has not been established. To evaluate the hair growth-promoting activity of TSG, depilated C57BL/6J mice were topically treated with normal saline, TSG, Pifithrin-α, Minoxidil for 2 weeks. In this study, we identified that p53, Caspase-3, Active Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 were obviously upregulated in the skin of human and mice with hair loss by western blot analysis. Depilated mice treated with TSG showed markedly hair regrowth. TUNEL⁺ cells were also reduced in mice with TSG. These changes were accompanied with inhibition of Fas, p53, Bax, Active Caspase-3, and Procaspase-9 activities. These results demonstrated that TSG exerts great hair regrowth effect on hair loss, which was probably mediated by inhibition of p53, Fas, and Bax induced apoptosis.

Hepatotoxicity in Rats Induced by Aqueous Extract of Polygoni Multiflori Radix, Root of Polygonum multiflorum Related to the Activity Inhibition of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the hepatotoxicity induced by Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, root of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., He Shou Wu) and the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 in the rat liver. Levels of rat serum transaminases ALT and AST were not altered but the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 in the rat liver was significantly inhibited after oral administration of aqueous extract of PMR under the experimental dosage. However, levels of ALT and AST were significantly increased and the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 was significantly decreased after injection of specific inhibitor for CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 combined with oral administration of aqueous extract of PMR, especially under the repeated treatment over interval times. Liver histopathological observation showed that a moderate liver injury occurred in rats receiving PMR treatment with the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 inhibited, but there was no significant liver damage in rats receiving PMR treatment or CYP inhibitor alone. These suggested that low level activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 from genetic polymorphism among people might be one of the important reasons for the hepatotoxicity induced by PMR in clinical practice.

Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract protects human foreskin melanocytes from oxidative stress in vitro and potentiates hair follicle pigmentation ex vivo

OBJECTIVE

To examine the ability of an extract from traditional Chinese medicine, Polygonum multiflorum Radix, to protect melanocyte viability from oxidative stress, a key mechanism in the initiation and progression of hair greying.

METHODS

To assess the antioxidant capacity of Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract, primary human foreskin melanocytes were treated with a commercially available Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract added to culture medium and exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ), using intracellular reactive oxygen species concentrations and glutathione/protein ratios as endpoints. To improve solubility for cosmetic uses, a new Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract was derived. As hair greying is the consequence of melanocyte disappearance in an oxidative stress environment, we checked whether the antioxidant capacity of the new Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract could preserve melanocyte viability in response to H₂ O₂ -induced oxidative stress, and preserve pigmentation within ex vivo human hair follicles.

RESULTS

In vitro treatment of primary human foreskin melanocytes with traditional available Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract resulted in decreased intracellular ROS accumulation in response to H₂ O₂ exposure with a concomitant preservation of glutathione-to-protein ratio, consistent with a protective response against H₂ O₂ exposure and demonstrating the promise of this extract for protecting melanocytes against oxidative stress. Melanocytes treated with the improved Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract exhibited attenuated H₂ O₂ -induced cell death, demonstrating a clear cytoprotective effect. Treatment of ex vivo human hair follicles with the improved Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract resulted in a higher level of melanin compared to vehicle-treated controls, demonstrating an ex vivo protective effect on hair pigmentation.

CONCLUSION

Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract protects in vitro primary human foreskin melanocytes from the deleterious effects of H₂ O₂ exposure and improves pigmentation within ex vivo human hair follicles, demonstrating the utility of Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract as a potential active ingredient for the protection of melanocytes against premature death. This data provides in vitro mechanistic evidence consistent with existing in vivo studies for the use of Polygonum multiflorum Radix extract as a strategy for the prevention of oxidative stress-induced hair greying, in line with traditional Polygonum multiflorum Radix uses.

Polygonum multiflorum root extract as a potential candidate for treatment of early graying hair

Despite Polygonum multiflorum (PM) has been experiencely used as a drug to treat early graying hair phenomenon in Asian countries for a long time, there is limited study examined the real biological effects of PM on hair graying in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigated the effects of PM root extract (PM-RE) on melanin synthesis in human melanoma SKMEL-28 cells and embryos/larvae of wild-type strain AB zebrafish. We also preliminary revealed the molecular mechanism of early hair graying phenomenon in both in vitro and in vivo models. Our results showed that PM-RE significantly induced melanin synthesis in melanin-producing SKMEL-28 melanoma cells and also in zebrafish embryos/larvae at 4-day postfertilization through activation of MC1R/MITF/tyrosinase-signaling pathway. We also investigated the differences in genotype between graying hair follicle and black hair follicle of young peoples and found that early hair graying phenomenon may be related to downregulation of MC1R/MITF/tyrosinase pathway. Taken together, we suggested that PM-RE at safe doses could be used as a potential agent for the treatment of early hair graying and other loss pigmentation-related diseases.