Procyanidin Oligomers Selectively and Intensively Promote Proliferation of Mouse Hair Epithelial Cells In Vitro and Activate Hair Follicle Growth In Vivo
TLDR Procyanidin compounds from grape seeds were found to significantly increase mouse hair growth.
In a study from 1999, researchers found that procyanidin oligomers, specifically procyanidin B-2 (a dimer) and procyanidin C-1 (a trimer), derived from grape seeds, significantly promoted the proliferation of mouse hair epithelial cells in vitro and stimulated hair growth in vivo. The procyanidin B-2 showed a maximum growth-promoting activity of about 300% at a concentration of 30 microM, while procyanidin C-1 reached about 220% at 3 microM, compared to control levels set at 100%. These compounds were more effective than other flavonoid compounds tested. The study also demonstrated that only epithelial cells, such as hair keratinocytes, responded to procyanidin oligomers. When applied topically at 1% concentration to C3H mice in the telogen phase of hair growth, procyanidin oligomers significantly induced hair regeneration, with procyanidin B-2 achieving 69.6% ± 21.8%, procyanidin B-3 achieving 80.9% ± 13.0%, and procyanidin C-1 achieving 78.3% ± 7.6% hair regrowth on the shaven area, compared to a 41.7% (SD = 16.3%) regrowth with the vehicle only. This study suggested the potential of procyanidin oligomers as agents to induce hair growth.
