title: Hair growth-promoting activity of hot water extract of Thuja orientalis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thuja orientalis has been traditionally used to treat patients who suffer from baldness and hair loss in East Asia. The present study sought to investigate the hair growth-promoting activity of T. orientalis hot water extract and the underlying mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  After T. orientalis extract was topically applied to the shaved dorsal skin of telogenic C57BL/6 N mice, the histomorphometric analysis was employed to study induction of the hair follicle cycle. To determine the effect of T. orientalis extract on the telogen to anagen transition, the protein expression levels of β-catenin and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in hair follicles were determined by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that T. orientalis extract promoted hair growth by inducing the anagen phase in telogenic C57BL/6 N mice. Specifically, the histomorphometric analysis data indicates that topical application of T. orientalis extract induced an earlier anagen phase and prolonged the mature anagen phase, in contrast to either the control or 1% minoxidil-treated group. We also observed increases in both the number and size of hair follicles of the T. orientalis extract-treated group. Moreover, the immunohistochemical analysis reveals earlier induction of β-catenin and Shh proteins in hair follicles of the T. orientalis extract-treated group, compared to the control or 1% minoxidil-treated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that T. orientalis extract promotes hair growth by inducing the anagen phase in resting hair follicles and might therefore be a potential hair growth-promoting agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, 1 Kwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nan-nan
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dong Ki
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029783:Thuja / Q000737:chemistry*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C465570:Shh protein, mouse; D051176:beta Catenin