Quercitrin Stimulates Hair Growth with Enhanced Expression of Growth Factors via Activation of MAPK/CREB Signaling Pathway

The document from 2020 presents a study on the effects of quercitrin, a flavonoid from Hottuynia cordata, on hair growth. The study found that quercitrin improved cell viability and energy metabolism in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs), as evidenced by increased NAD(P)H production and mitochondrial membrane potential. It also upregulated anti-apoptotic and cell proliferation markers Bcl2 and Ki67, respectively, and enhanced the expression of growth factors such as bFGF, KGF, PDGF-AA, and VEGF. These effects were attributed to the activation of the MAPK/CREB signaling pathway, with increased phosphorylation of Akt, Erk, and CREB. Additionally, in an ex vivo human hair follicle culture model, quercitrin increased hair shaft length by 62.4% and 70.0% at concentrations of 5 µM and 10 µM, respectively. The study's experiments were repeated at least three times with a p-value of <0.05 for statistical significance, although the number of samples or people involved was not mentioned. The study concluded that quercitrin could be a potential treatment for hair loss by promoting hair growth through enhanced cellular metabolism and growth factor production via the MAPK/CREB pathway.