title: Hair growth stimulatory effect by a combination of 5-aminolevulinic acid and iron ion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a precursor of a tetrapyrrole compound. 5-ALA has been used for photodynamic therapy as well as for plant growth. 5-ALA and iron ion are precursors of heme, which is incorporated into hemoglobin and cytochrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the possible application of a 5-ALA and iron ion admixture on hair growth in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of a 5-ALA and iron ion admixture on hair growth and cell proliferation in mice was examined. The dorsal hair of 8-week-old male CeH/HeN mice was clipped, and a 5-ALA and iron ion admixture was applied to the dorsal skin once daily for 21 days in a room supplied with common room lights. Hair growth was later examined by calculating the ratio of the area showing hair growth to the total clipped area. For the cell proliferation assay, a 5-ALA and iron ion admixture at several different concentrations was added to a culture medium containing keratinocytes or fibroblasts, and the cell numbers were counted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice treated with an admixture of 5-ALA and iron ion showed significant hair growth (P < 0.05) at day 15 relative to those treated with iron ion alone, as revealed by the Tukey-Kramer test. The stimulatory effect of the mixture was almost identical to that of 5% minoxidil. No proliferation of keratinocytes or fibroblasts was observed, however, when an admixture of 5-ALA and iron ion was added to the medium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that an admixture of 5-ALA and iron ion stimulates murine hair growth in vivo independent of epithelial and mesenchymal cells, although the precise mechanism is still uncertain. This mixture has the potential to become a beneficial new treatment for alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morokuma
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Ikuyo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishizuka
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yoshiyasu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tsuboi
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C061309:DTPA ferric chelate; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid