HX109 Herbal Extract Promotes Hair Growth by Regulating Cell Cycle in Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the promoting effects of HX109 on hair growth.Methods: We prepared HX109 by extracting Taraxacum officinale, Cuscuta australis, and Nelumbo nucifera with 25% ethanol. The hair growth-promoting effects were measured in C57BL/6J mice which were orally administered HX109 (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) with dorsal hair depilation. Western blotting was used to examine the protein expression in skin tissues (cyclin family, bax, and bcl-2). Moreover, the WST-1 assay was used to assess the cell viability of human hair dermal papilla cells (HFDPC). Flow cytometry was used to examine the change in the HFDPC cell cycle proportion.Results: In HX109-treated C57BL/6J mice, hair growth was increased in a dose-dependent manner compared with the vehicle-treated group. Specifically, 300 mg/kg of HX109 treated group showed significantly enhanced hair regrowth (p<0.01). Furthermore, HX109 significantly increased cyclin B1 expression and decreased the bax/bcl-2 ratio in the back skin of mice. HX109 also increased cell viability in HFDPCs in a dose-dependent manner by stimulating the S-G2/M phase transition.Conclusion: The mixed herbal extract HX109 has a hair growth-promoting effect by increasing HFDPC viability through regulation of the S-G2/M phase transition.