Ethanol Extract of Polygonum Multiflorum and Its Effect on Melanin Synthesis

The study investigated the effects of Polygoni multiflorium radix ethanol extract (PMEE) on melanin synthesis related to black hair growth. PMEE was found to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are involved in hair greying, by increasing antioxidant activity. It also increased tyrosinase activity and promoted melanin synthesis, as shown by DOPA assay and tyrosinase activity tests. Western blot analysis revealed that PMEE enhanced the expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2), while decreasing the expression of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and catalase. These findings suggested that PMEE could potentially reverse greying hair by promoting melanin synthesis.