Moringa oleifera seed oil promotes hair growth in mice and modulates the genetic expressions of factors affecting hair growth cycle in skin cell culture

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. seed oil (MO) has traditionally been used for hair loss and several products are commercially available with limited scientific evidence. This study aimed to investigate the hair growth-promoting effect of MO using cellbased and animal models. MO samples were selected to test for the effects on the genetic expressions of four factors related to hair growth cycle (VEGF, TGF-β1, 5α-reductase I and II) by RT-PCR method. MO up-regulated the expression of VEGF gene and down-regulated the expressions of the other three genes. MO showed hair growth-promoting effects via hair growth-related gene expression on both keratinocytes and derma papilla cells and comparable to the effects of the minoxidil. After application on C57BL/6 mice, MO increased the hair growth of the mice. Histological examination of the mouse skin showed that MO increased skin thickness, number of hair follicles and anagen-to-telogen ratio. The obtained results suggest the hair growthpromoting effect of moringa oils.

Keywords

• moringa oil
• hair growth
• skin thickness
• genetic expressions