Survey of use of herbal and home remedies for hair and scalp among women in North West Saudi Arabia

Lagerstroemia indica extract regulates human hair dermal papilla cell growth and degeneration via modulation of β-catenin, Stat6 and TGF-β signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Lagerstroemia indica (L. indica) is reported to have diverse biological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuro-regulatory, antidiabetic and antioxidant activity.

AIMS

The purpose of the present study is to examine the potential of hair growth promotion and/or hair loss prevention by L. indica extract.

PATIENTS/METHODS

The effects of L. indica on hair growth have been studied in human hair follicle dermal papillary (hHFDP) cells and follicular organ culture ex vivo by cell proliferation assay, PCR, western blot analysis and reporter gene activity assay. Moreover, a clinical trial was conducted in healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

L. indica significantly promoted the proliferation of hHFDP cells, which was associated with increased expression of TCF/LEF, VEGF and Gli1 mRNA, and inhibition of STAT6 and Smad2 mRNA. Treatment with L. indica also increased the TCF/LEF reporter gene activity but downregulated the SBE- and STAT6-luciferase activities. The expression of total β-catenin, CDK4 and CDK2 were elevated, while that of STAT6 and SMAD2/3 was suppressed upon treatment with L. indica. In human hair follicles organ culture, L. indica significantly inhibited hair follicular degeneration. The clinical trial showed a statistically significant rise in total hair count in test group (n=24) after 24 weeks of applying the hair tonic enriched with L. indica (141.46 ± 21.27 number/cm² , p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

We suggest that L. indica extract prevents hair loss as well as stimulate hair growth by regulating the Wnt-β-catenin, JAK3-STAT6 and TGF-β1-Smad signaling pathways, and may be further developed as a novel functional cosmetic for preventing hair loss.