Hair Growth-Promoting Effect of Carthamus Tinctorius Floret Extract

The 2013 study demonstrated that Carthamus tinctorius extract (CTE) has hair growth-promoting effects, evidenced by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, CTE enhanced the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and HaCaT keratinocytes, upregulated the expression of hair growth-promoting genes VEGF and KGF, and downregulated the hair loss-related gene TGF-β1. In vivo, CTE increased hair follicle length in cultured mouse neonates and stimulated hair regrowth on shaved female C57BL/6 mice, increasing the number of hair follicles and the anagen phase ratio without causing skin irritation. These effects were comparable to the positive control, minoxidil. The extract contained a high amount of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), suggesting its potential use in hair growth-promoting products. The study was supported by the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), Khon Kaen University, and the National Research Council of Thailand.