title: Hominis Placenta facilitates hair re-growth by upregulating cellular proliferation and expression of fibroblast growth factor-7.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hominis Placenta (HP) known as a restorative medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely applied in the clinics of Korea and China as an anti-aging agent to enhance the regeneration of tissue. This study was conducted to investigate whether topical treatment of HP promotes hair regrowth in the animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dorsal hairs of 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were depilated to synchronize hair follicles to the anagen phase. HP was applied topically once a day for 15 days. Hair growth was evaluated visually and microscopically. The incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7) in dorsal skin tissue was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of FGF-7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HP exhibited potent hair growth-promoting activity in C57BL/6 mice. Gross examination indicated that HP markedly increased hair regrowth as well as hair density and diameter. Histologic analysis showed that HP treatment enhanced the anagen induction of hair follicles. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BrdU incorporation and the expressions of PCNA were increased by treatment of HP. HP treatment significantly increased the expression of FGF-7, which plays pivotal roles to maintain anagen phase both protein and mRNA levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results indicate that HP has a potent hair growth-promoting activity; therefore, it may be a good candidate for the treatment of alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology, Korean Medicine Hospital, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Chung Jaeho Traditional Korean Medical Clinic, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of food & biotechnology, Woosuk University, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ha Rim
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.|Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Joo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.|Healthy Aging Korean Medical Research Center, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myeong Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of 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, Republic of Korea. jhsol33@pusan.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Han-Sol
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001415:Back / Q000502:physiology; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; C496454:Fgf7 protein, mouse; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine
keywords: Anagen; Bromodeoxyuridine; Fibroblast growth factor-7; Hair growth; Hominis Placenta