Effect of crude extracts from Thai herbs on growth of cultured human hair follicle: A pilot study

Hair loss is an anguish problem which increases in both men and women nowadays. Minoxidil and finasteride are currently used as a combined treatment of hair loss due to genetic problem. In spite of their several side effects, searching of new drugs such as plant extracts for the treatment of hair loss may resolve the adverse effects from drug therapy. The objective of this pilot study was to elucidate the hair growth promoting effects of selected natural Thai herbs which were declared in ancient Thai remedies with respect to their hair and skin treatment. Crude extracts of 5 natural Thai herbs: Clitorea ternatea, Pueraria mirifica, Eclipta prostate, Citrus hystrix, and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis were tested on cultured human hair follicles. The data revealed that the extract of dried flowers of C. ternatea at concentration between 0.5-5 mg/ml promoted the hair growth after 2-4 days. Similarly, the extract from C. hystrix fruit at 5  mg /ml activated hair growth after 2-3 days. However, inhibitory effect on hair growth was observed when 10  mg /ml of C. hystrix extracted were applied in 4 days. The others herb extracts showed no effect on hair growth. These results suggest that water extracts of C. ternatea flower and C. hystrix fruit have potentially promoted human hair follicle growth in vitro

Ablation of D1 dopamine receptor-expressing cells generates mice with seizures, dystonia, hyperactivity, and impaired oral behavior

Huntington's disease is characterized by death of striatal projection neurons. We used a Cre/Lox transgenic approach to generate an animal model in which D1 dopamine receptor (Drd1a)+ cells are progressively ablated in the postnatal brain. Striatal Drd1a, substance P, and dynorphin expression is progressively lost, whereas D2 dopamine receptor (Drd2) and enkephalin expression is up-regulated. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis demonstrated early elevation of the striatal choline/creatine ratio, a finding associated with extensive reactive striatal astrogliosis. Sequential MRI demonstrated a progressive reduction in striatal volume and secondary ventricular enlargement confirmed to be due to loss of striatal cells. Mutant mice had normal gait and rotarod performance but displayed hindlimb dystonia, locomotor hyperactivity, and handling-induced electrographically verified spontaneous seizures. Ethological assessment identified an increase in rearing and impairments in the oral behaviors of sifting and chewing. In line with the limbic seizure profile, cell loss, astrogliosis, microgliosis, and down-regulated dynorphin expression were seen in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. This study specifically implicates Drd1a+ cell loss with tail suspension hindlimb dystonia, hyperactivity, and abnormal oral function. The latter may relate to the speech and swallowing disturbances and the classic sign of tongue-protrusion motor impersistence observed in Huntington's disease. In addition, the findings of this study support the notion that Drd1a and Drd2 are segregated on striatal projection neurons