Effects of Herbal Extracts on Hair Growth Promotion in Experimental Animal Model

In a study conducted 12 years ago, researchers investigated the effects of herbal extracts on hair growth in a mouse model. The herbal extract (HE), derived from plants including Gardenia, Mentha arvensis, Rosemary, and Lavender, was topically applied to the shaved dorsal skin of 6-week-old C57BL/6 male mice daily for 3 weeks. The results showed that the application of HE significantly accelerated hair regrowth compared to the negative control (distilled water) and vehicle control (50% ethanol) groups after 2 weeks. Additionally, the HE and positive control (3% minoxidil) groups showed a significant decrease in mast cell population and increased activities of enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) compared to the control groups. These findings suggested that the herbal extract may have hair-growth promoting activity equal to that of minoxidil.