The Effect of Umbraulva japonica on the Stimulation of Anagen Phase

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Umbraulva japonica extract on the hair growth. Treatment with U. Japonica extract significantly increased the proliferation of dermal papilla cells (DPCs), a central regulator of the hair cycle. When isolated rat vibrissa follicles were treated with U. Japonica extract for 21 d, the hair-fiber lengths of the vibrissa follicles increased. When examined the activity of 5α-reductase, which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a main cause of androgenetic alopecia, U. Japonica extract did not inhibit the 5α-reductase activity. Moreover, we found that the U. Japonica extract also significantly accelerated anagen phase in vivo. These results suggest that the U. Japonica extract has the potential to treat alopecia via the stimulation of anagen phase.