The Philippines Stingless Bee Propolis Promotes Hair Growth Through Activation of Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway
October 2022
in “
Jikken Dobutsu
”
TLDR Philippines stingless bee propolis helps hair grow by activating a specific cell signaling pathway.
The study investigated the hair growth-promoting activity of Philippines stingless bee propolis extract and its underlying molecular mechanism. Using a 99.5% ethanolic extract of the propolis on a simple shaving model in C57BL/6N mice, it was found that propolis promotes hair growth by stimulating hair follicle development. This was evidenced by increased melaninization of dorsal skin and histological analysis of hair follicles. The expression of mRNA (Wnt3a, Ctnnb1/β-catenin, Lef1, and Bmp2) and protein (WNT3A and β-catenin) of selected Wnt/β-catenin associated genes indicated that the propolis promotes hair follicle development by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The results suggest that propolis treatment strongly promotes hair growth and indicates the potential of Philippines stingless bee propolis as a promising product for hair growth.