Icariin Promotes Mouse Hair Follicle Growth by Increasing Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Expression in Dermal Papillary Cells

In 2017, a study found that icariin, a compound from Epimedium spp., promotes hair growth in mice by increasing insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) expression in dermal papillary cells (DPCs). The treatment with icariin led to hair shaft elongation, prolonged the anagen phase of hair follicles, and accelerated the transition from telogen to anagen phase in vivo. Specifically, icariin at concentrations of 10 µmol/L and 20 µmol/L significantly increased IGF-1 mRNA expression in DPCs by 13.3-fold and 6.4-fold, respectively, and also increased IGF-1 secretion. The study suggests the potential involvement of the PI3K/Akt pathway in this process, although further research is needed to confirm this. These findings suggest icariin could be a promising agent for hair growth promotion and may be beneficial in treating hair-related conditions. The research was funded by the Guangdong Province Medical Science and Technology Research Fund and Shenzhen Baoan Social Public Program in Science and Technology.