Hair growth-promoting effect of Geranium sibiricum extract in human dermal papilla cells and C57BL/6 mice

    William A. Boisvert, Miri Yu, Young-Bin Choi, Gi Hee Jeong, Yilin Zhang, Sunghun Cho, Changsun Choi, Sang-Hyun Lee
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    TLDR Geranium sibiricum extract helps hair grow and is more effective than minoxidil but can be toxic in high concentrations.
    In the 2017 study, Geranium sibiricum extract (GSE) was found to promote hair growth in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and C57BL/6 mice. GSE was more effective than minoxidil in proliferating and migrating hDPCs, and it significantly stimulated the expression of Ki-67 protein and increased mRNA levels of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in hDPCs. Topical application of GSE on mice resulted in significant hair growth, with histological analysis showing an active anagen phase and induction of stem cell factor. GSE also reduced the number of mast cells and the expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 in mouse skin tissues. However, GSE concentrations above 156.3 µg/mL were toxic to hDPCs. The study concluded that GSE could promote hair growth by enhancing cell proliferation and migration, reducing inflammation, and upregulating growth factor expression.
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