title: Cornu cervi pantotrichum Pharmacopuncture Solution Facilitate Hair Growth in C57BL/6 Mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cornu cervi pantotrichum (CCP) has been widely used in Korean and China, as an anti-fatigue, anti-aging, and tonic agent to enhance the functions of the reproductive and the immune systems. Because CCP has various growth factors that play important roles in the development of hair follicles, we examined whether CCP pharmacopuncture solution (CCPPS) was capable of promoting hair growth in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  One day after hair depilation, CCPPS were topically applied to the dorsal skin of C57BL/6 mice once a day for 15 days. Hair growth activity was evaluated by using macro- and microscopic observations. Dorsal skin tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Expressions of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-7 were examined by using immunohistochemical staining. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also conducted to measure the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of FGF-7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCPPS induced more active hair growth than normal saline. Histologic analysis showed enlargement of the dermal papilla, elongation of the hair shaft, and expansion of hair thickness in CCPPS treated mice, indicating that CCPPS effectively induced the development of anagen. CCPPS treatment markedly increased the expressions of BrdU and PCNA in the hair follicles of C57BL/6 mice. In addition, CCPPS up regulated the expression of FGF-7, which plays an important role in the development of hair follicles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results reveal that CCPPS facilitates hair re-growth by proliferation of hair follicular cells and up-regulation of FGF-7 and suggest that CCPPS can potentially be applied as an alternative treatment for patients with alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Apple Korean Medical Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology, Korean Medicine Hospital, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology, Korean Medicine Hospital, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, Jeonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk Univeristy, Jeonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jai Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Sol
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology, Korean Medicine Hospital, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Sik
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2410-4704
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
keywords: Cornu cervi pantotrichum pharmacopuncture solution; anagen; fibroblast growth factor-7; hair; hair loss; proliferating cell nuclear antigen