The Essential Oils of Chamaecyparis Obtusa Promote Hair Growth Through the Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene

In 2010, researchers found that essential oils from Chamaecyparis obtusa (C. obtusa) could promote hair growth by inducing the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene. The study used both an animal model, where the oils were applied to shaved mice, and a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) for molecular analysis. The results showed that specific fractions of C. obtusa oils, particularly sub-fractions E and D of fraction 7, significantly increased VEGF and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) gene expression without affecting the levels of transforming growth factor (TGFB1) mRNA. Chemical components such as cuminol, eucarvone, and calamenene were identified in these sub-fractions. The study concluded that C. obtusa oils could be beneficial for hair growth by up-regulating VEGF gene expression.