Salvianolic Acid B Reduces Oxidative Stress to Promote Hair-Growth in Mice, Human Hair Follicles and Dermal Papilla Cells

Abstract

Background

Existing research links oxidative stress and inflammation to hair loss. Salvianolic acid B (SAB) is known for its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and other beneficial pharmacological properties.

Objective

To assess the efficacy of SAB in modulating hair growth.

Methods

In vivo experiments were conducted using C57BL/6 mice to evaluate the effects of SAB on hair and skin parameters. The study involved ex vivo analysis of human hair follicles (HFs) for hair shaft length and hair growth cycle assessment. In vitro, human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) were cultured with SAB, and their proliferation, protection against H2O2-induced oxidative damage, and gene/protein expression alterations were examined using various analytical techniques, including Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA), DCFH-DA Assay, RNA-seq, and KEGG pathway analysis.

Results

SAB treatment in mice significantly improved hair growth and vascularization by day 21. In human HFs, SAB extended hair shaft length and delayed the transition to the catagen phase. SAB-treated hDPCs showed a notable decrease in the expression of oxidation-antioxidation-related genes and proteins, including reduced phosphorylation levels of ERK and p38.

Conclusion

The study indicates that SAB promotes hDPC proliferation and offers protection against oxidative stress, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for enhancing hair growth and treating hair loss.

Keywords:

• salvianolic acid B
• hair growth
• hair cycle
• hair follicle
• dermal papilla cells

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the grants from Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hair Medicine (19DZ2250500), National Science Foundation of China (82373507, 82173442 and 82103759), Leading Talent Project of Shanghai Health Commission (2022LJ017), Jing’an District Clinical Advantage Special Disease Construction Project (2021ZB01), Clinical Research Plan of SHDC (SHDC22022302), Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning (2023ZZ02018), Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty (shslczdzk01002).