Neurotrophic Effects of Silibinin on Differentiation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells to Neurons

The study investigated the neurotrophic effects of silibinin on the differentiation of hair follicle stem cells into neurons. Researchers isolated and cultured stem cells from the bulge area of rat whiskers, exposing them to various concentrations of silibinin and neurotrophin-3. They found that a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml silibinin significantly promoted differentiation into neurons, as indicated by the expression of the β III tubulin marker. However, concentrations of 1 μg/ml or higher were toxic and inhibited cell growth, while concentrations below 0.1 μg/ml had no effect. The study concluded that optimal silibinin concentration is crucial for promoting differentiation without toxicity.