Effects of a milk oligosaccharide biosimilar on fecal characteristics, microbiota, and bile acid, calprotectin, and immunoglobulin concentrations of healthy adult dogs treated with metronidazole.

In recent dog and cat experiments, a novel milk oligosaccharide biosimilar (GNU100) positively modulated fecal microbiota and metabolite profiles, suggesting benefits to gastrointestinal health. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of GNU100 on the fecal characteristics, microbiota, and bile acid (BA) concentrations of healthy adult dogs treated with antibiotics. Twelve healthy adult female dogs (mean age: 3.74 ± 2.4 yr) were used in an 8-wk crossover design study (dogs underwent both treatments). All dogs were fed a control diet during a 2-wk baseline, then randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments (diet only or diet + 1% GNU100) for another 6 wk. From weeks 2 to 4, dogs were orally administered metronidazole (20 mg/kg BW) twice daily. Fecal scores were recorded daily and fresh fecal samples were collected at weeks 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 for measurement of pH, dry matter, microbiota populations, and BA, immunoglobulin A, and calprotectin concentrations. On weeks 0, 4, and 8, blood samples were collected for serum chemistry and hematology analysis. All data were analyzed as repeated measures using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS version 9.4, with significance considered P < 0.05. Metronidazole increased (P < 0.0001) fecal scores (looser stools) and modified (P < 0.05) fecal microbiota and BA profiles. Using qPCR, metronidazole reduced fecal Blautia, Fusobacterium, Turicibacter, Clostridium hiranonis, and Faecalibacterium abundances, and increased fecal Streptococcus and Escherichia coli abundances. DNA sequencing analysis demonstrated that metronidazole reduced microbial alpha diversity and influenced the relative abundance of 20 bacterial genera and families. Metronidazole also increased primary BA and reduced secondary BA concentrations. Most antibiotic-induced changes returned to baseline by week 8. Fecal scores were more stable (P = 0.01) in GNU100-fed dogs than controls after antibiotic administration. GNU100 also influenced fecal microbiota and BA profiles, reducing (P < 0.05) the influence of metronidazole on microbial alpha diversity and returning some fecal microbiota and secondary BA to baseline levels at a quicker (P < 0.05) rate than controls. In conclusion, our results suggest that GNU100 supplementation provides benefits to dogs treated with antibiotics, providing more stable fecal scores, maintaining microbial diversity, and allowing for quicker recovery of microbiota and secondary BA profiles which play an essential role in gut health.

Our objective was to test the effects of a novel milk oligosaccharide biosimilar (GNU100) on the fecal characteristics, microbiota, and bile acid (BA) concentrations of healthy adult dogs treated with antibiotics. Dogs were fed a control diet during a 2-wk baseline, then randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments (diet only or diet + 1% GNU100) for another 6 wk. From weeks 2 to 4, dogs were given an oral antibiotic. Fecal scores were recorded and fresh fecal samples were collected over time to assess fecal characteristics, microbiota populations, and BA concentrations. The antibiotic was shown to increase fecal scores (looser stools) and modify fecal microbiota populations (altered diversity and ~20 bacterial genera and families) and BA profiles (increased primary and reduced secondary BA). Most antibiotic-induced changes returned to baseline by week 8. In dogs fed GNU100, fecal scores were more stable and changes to microbial diversity were lower than controls after antibiotic administration. Fecal microbiota and secondary BA of GNU100-fed dogs also returned to baseline levels at a quicker rate than controls. These results suggest that GNU100 provides benefits to dogs given antibiotics, providing more stable fecal scores, maintaining microbial diversity, and allowing for quicker recovery of microbiota and BA profiles.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction Ameliorates Damage of Erectile Tissue and Function Following Bilateral Cavernous Nerve Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) in ameliorating erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: The composition of BHD was verified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) analysis. Bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury (BCNI) in rats was used to mimic the neurovascular injury occurring after RP. By the envelope method, forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: sham (cavernous nerves exposed only), model (BCNI), low-dosage BHD [LBHD, 12.8 g/(kg·d)], and high-dosage BHD [HBHD, 51.2 g/(kg·d)] groups, 10 rats in each group, feeding for 3 weeks respectively. Erectile function was evaluated by measuring intracavernosal pressure (ICP). Changes in the histopathology of corpus cavernosum (CC) were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Meanwhile, the fibrosis of CC was measured by Masson's trichrome staining and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of collagen I, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF- ß 1) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Apoptosis index was detected by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) and Western blot for determining the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X (Bax). The oxidative stress in the CC were assessed by the superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The proteins expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and c-Jun were detected by Western blot. In addition, the expression of α-SMA and p-c-Jun in the CC was observed by double immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis showed that BHD contained calycosin-7-O- ß -D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and formononetin. Compared with the model group, LBHD and HBHD treatment improved the ICP and the circumference, area, and weight of CC (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, LBHD and HBHD treatments increased CC smooth muscle content and decreased apoptosis index (P<0.05 or P<0.01). LBHD and HBHD also elevated SOD and expression level of α -SMA and Bcl-2, and reduced MDA and ROS levels, as well as expression of TGF- ß 1, collagen I, Bax, p-c-JNK, p-JNK in the CC compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The double immunofluorescence staining showed that the fluorescence degree of p-c-Jun in both LBHD and HBHD treatment groups was significantly reduced, whereas the α -SMA expression increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: BHD can improve ED of rats with BCNI, which is related to inhibiting fibrosis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress of CC. The ROS/JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway may play an important role in the process.

Relieving postoperative pain using tumescent solution with ropivacaine in follicular unit excision.

BACKGROUND: Local tumescent anesthesia relieves postoperative pain. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare the effect of injecting a tumescent solution with/without ropivacaine on postoperative pain. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind control study was conducted in 314 patients who underwent first follicular unit excision after obtaining informed consent and ethics committee approval. The patients were randomly divided into three groups: intra-groups (group 1, injected with tumescent solution with ropivacaine; group 2, without ropivacaine) and inter-group (group 3, right-head/left-head side with/without ropivacaine). Postoperative pain was recorded using the 5-point Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale. No preoperative analgesic was administered to any patient. The survival rate of hair follicles was measured using dermoscopy during follow-up. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 314 patients included in the study, 166 were men and 148 were women with a mean age of 32.15 ± 4.58 (range, 25-45) years. Postoperative pain with ropivacaine was significantly more relieved compared with that without ropivacaine in both groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between sex and survival rate of hair follicles in the intra- or inter-group. CONCLUSION: A tumescent solution with ropivacaine has proven to relieve postoperative pain and is a safe and valuable form of local anesthesia in follicular unit excision.

Current application of mesotherapy in pattern hair loss: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: As a minimally invasive procedure, mesotherapy has been used in the cosmetic field for half a century and gets favorable results in fat reduction, facial rejuvenation, and hair regrowth. So far, it has achieved some exciting progression in pattern hair loss (PHL), which bothers plenty of people and has cost billion dollars searching for more effective treatment. The aim of this study is to summarize the efficacy of mesotherapy treating PHL. METHODS: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched until January 2021. All literature was evaluated according to established criteria. RESULTS: We got 336 studies from searched databases, and 12 studies were included after selection process. A total of 253 males and 274 females participated in 6 randomized control trials, 2 nonrandomized controlled trials, and 3 observational studies. Mesotherapy showed positive efficacy in all studies to a certain extent, and no significant side effect occurred. CONCLUSION: Mesotherapy demonstrated as an effective treatment for PHL. However, the sample size is not big enough, and studies about mesotherapy compared to other treatments are insufficient. Future research is required to claim more evidence.

Efficacy assessment for low-level laser therapy in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a real-world study on 1383 patients.

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been a treatment modality by many androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients in recent years. It remained unclear as to how long the treatment regime should be maintained, and which characteristics of patients should this be recommended. A real-world study was carried out with an FDA-cleared low-level laser helmet for 1383 patients. Ordinal logistic regression analysis with propensity score matching (PSM) was used to investigate the factors related to efficacy assessment. More than 80% of users were between 18 and 40 years old. The median use times were 133 for mild AGA patients and 142 for moderate-to-severe AGA patients, which equated to 38 weeks and 40 weeks, respectively. The overall clinical effectiveness was nearly 80%. PSM analysis revealed that gender (P = 0.002), use period (P = 0.068), scalp conditions with dandruff, rash, and itchy symptoms were associated with the grading of efficacy assessment. Male users (ordinal OR: 1.35, CI: (1.01, 1.79)); use for more than 180 times or use period for 1 year (ordinal OR: 1.40, CI: (1.11, 1.96)); and those with scalp dandruff (ordinal OR: 1.34, CI: (1.01, 1.87)), rash (ordinal OR: 1.47, CI: (1.04, 2.07)), and itchy symptoms (ordinal OR: 1.51, CI: (1.12, 2.03)) had better efficacy assessments. The recommended treatment regime with low-level laser helmet was more than 1 year or 180 use times. Male patients with dandruff, rash, and itchy symptoms in scalps tended to have a better efficacy assessment.

[Hongjing-1 Recipe maintains the expression level of Connexin43 in the penile tissue of SD rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Hongjing-1 Recipe (HJ-1) on erectile function and the expression of the gap junction protein Connexin43 (Cx43) in the penile tissue in male rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). METHODS: Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups of an equal number: sham operation, BCNI model control, and low-, medium- and high-dose HJ-1. The BCNI model was made in the latter four groups by clamping the bilateral cavernous nerves with hemostatic forceps. Three days after modeling, the rats in the sham operation and BCNI model control groups were treated intragastrically with pure water and those in the low-, medium- and high-dose HJ-1 groups with HJ-1 at 2.835, 5.67 and 11.34 g/kg/d, respectively, all for 28 successive days. Then, the animals were subjected to intracavernous pressure (ICP) measurement for evaluation of their erectile function and immunofluorescence staining and Western blot for determination of the Cx43 level in the penile tissue. RESULTS: The BCNI model controls, compared with the rats in the sham operation group, showed a dramatically decreased ratio of maximum ICP to mean arterial pressure (mICP/MAP) (0.40 ± 0.04 vs 0.83 ± 0.10, P < 0.01) and that of total ICP to MAP (tICP/MAP) (21.89 ± 2.16 vs 50.27 ± 4.45, P < 0.01), as well as a down-regulated expression of Cx43 in the penile tissue (P < 0.01). In comparison with the rats in the BCNI model control group, those in the medium- and high-dose HJ-1 groups exhibited significantly increased ratios of mICP/MAP (0.54 ± 0.05, P < 0.05; 0.61 ± 0.06, P < 0.01) and tICP/MAP (31.20 ± 3.85, P < 0.01; 37.82 ± 4.17, P < 0.01) and up-regulated expression of Cx43 (P<0.05 and P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Hongjing-1 Recipe can effectively improve ED in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury, which may be attributed to its effect of maintaining the expression level of the gap junction protein Cx43 in the penile tissue.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with hair transplantation surgery for the treatment of alopecia.

BACKGROUND: Transplanted hair follicles suffer from various injuries, which are difficult to prevent. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was reported to be an excellent procedure to promote capillary regeneration and reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. AIM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of HBOT as an adjuvant therapy for hair transplantation surgery. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with II-IV alopecia were divided into the control group and HBOT group randomly. The control group was treated with routine FUE procedure, while HBOT group combined with HBOT. Patients were treated with 100% oxygen under 2.0 atmospheres absolute pressure for 60 minutes through a facemask during HBOT and take the therapy daily for 7 days continuously after operation. Satisfaction and clinical improvement were evaluated at the fourth week and the sixth month postoperatively. RESULTS: Itching and folliculitis were significantly decreased in HBOT group (11.8% vs 35.3%). In addition, HBOT resulted in a lower postoperative shedding rate (27.6 ± 2.6% vs 69.1 ± 2.4%); nevertheless, the survival rate at 9 months showed no significant difference between HBOT (96.9 ± 0.5%) and control (93.8 ± 0.6%). The early postoperative satisfaction in control group was much lower than HBOT group (52.9% vs 88.2%), whereas all patients showed satisfaction with the final result. CONCLUSION: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is able to minimize the postsurgical follicle shedding and lead to less folliculitis and itching, which provides evidence for HBOT to act as an adjuvant therapy for hair transplantation surgery.

Comparison of low-level light therapy and combination therapy of 5% minoxidil in the treatment of female pattern hair loss.

This study was conducted in order to compare the safety and efficacy of LLLT, 5% minoxidil, and combination therapy in the treatment of FPHL. A randomized controlled trial was developed to study the effect of LLLT on FPHL using a device called iHelmet®, which is equipped with 200 5mW laser diode source (650 nm) arrays. Ninety Ludwig's types II-III FPHL patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: LLLT group (A), 5% minoxidil group (B), and combination group(C). Hair density, hair diameter, and scalp oil-secretion were detected to evaluate the treatment effect. Significant improvement of hair density and hair diameter was observed in all stages of FPHL after treatment. Oil-secretion of the three groups was decreased after treatment. The effectiveness of reducing oil-secretion in LLLT group and combination group was higher than minoxidil group (P < 0.05). For improving hair diameter and hair density, combination group was better than LLLT and minoxidil groups. No side effects were reported. Our study illustrated that LLLT is a safe and effective treatment for FPHL. Besides, LLLT can significantly improve its efficacy when used in combination with 5% minoxidil.

Proposed mechanisms of low-level light therapy in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a global challenge, affecting a large number of people worldwide. Efficacy of the existed treatments can barely meet the demands of patients. Patients who are poorly responding to those treatments are seeking for a more effective and suitable technique to treat their disease. Low-level light therapy (LLLT) is a newly developed technique, which has been proved to stimulate hair growth. Based on the function principle of LLLT in other domains and refer to the published literatures, we write this review to neaten and elucidate the possible mechanism of LLLT in the treatment of AGA. A review of published literature which is associated with keywords LLLT, photobiomodulation, AGA, treatment, hair growth, and mechanism was performed to elucidate the proposed mechanism of LLLT in the treatment of AGA. The present study shows that LLLT can accelerate hair growth in AGA patients. The proposed mechanism of LLLT in treating AGA may vary among different specialists. But we can summarize the consensual mechanisms as follows; low-level light absorbed by chromophores can lead to the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These mobilized molecules subsequently activate redox-related signaling pathways in hair follicle cells and perifollicular cells. Finally, these activated cells participate in the regrowth of hair follicle. Even though the efficacy of LLLT in the treatment of AGA in both men and women has already been confirmed, the present studies focusing on discovering LLLT are still inadequate and unsystematic. More studies are needed to standardize the optimum treatment parameters applied in promoting hair growth and determine the long-term safety and efficacy of LLLT. Current recognitions about the mechanisms of LLLT, mainly focused on the molecules that may take effect, neglected different cellular components that are functional in the hair follicle macro-environment.

Neuroprotective effect of Hongjing I granules on erectile dysfunction in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve injury.

Neurogenic erectile dysfunction (NED) is an inevitable postoperative disease of cavernous nerve injury which will lead to various pathophysiological changes in the corpus cavernosum and dorsal penile nerve caused by radical prostatectomy (RP). Although serval years of clinical application of HJIG I granules (HJIG), an innovative formulation, has demonstrated its reliable clinical efficacy against NED, the mechanism of HJIG remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the neuroprotective effect of HJIG, to repair damaged nerves in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) in vivo and their effects on neurites of major pelvic ganglia (MPG) regeneration and Schwann cells (SCs) proliferation in vitro. Rats were divided into five groups randomly: normal control (NC), BCNI-induced ED model (M), M + low-dose HJIG (HL), M + medium-dose HJIG (HM), and M + high-dose HJIG (HH). All groups were treated with normal saline or the relevant drug for 28 consecutive days after a standard NED animal model. Our data revealed that administration of HJIG improved NED that was detected by intracavernous pressure (ICP) in a dose-dependent manner. The haematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Immunofluorescence (IF) staining demonstrated that HJIG ameliorate the shape of penis and induced the protein synthesis of GAP43, NF200, S100, and nNOS. NF200 and S100 level were also detected by western blotting. Moreover, HJIG (0.78 mg/mL) markedly increased SCs viability and promoted neurites regeneration of MPG. These findings provide new insights into the NED therapy by HJIG.

The effectiveness of combination therapies for androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of baldness affecting both men and women. Studies investigating combination therapies for AGA reported greater efficacy than monotherapy but without rigorous examination. The authors performed a meta-analysis and systemic review to further verify the evidence. To evaluate the effectiveness of three common combination therapies of minoxidil with finasteride, low-level laser light therapy (LLLT) or microneedling versus minoxidil monotherapy. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of combination therapies consisting of topical minoxidil for AGA through April 2020. Quality assessment and data analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.3. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria involving a total of 1172 AGA patients. We conducted meta-analysis for three groups of combined treatment separately, and all were superior to monotherapy in terms of global photographic assessment (P < .05). Combination of LLLT or microneedling with minoxidil also showed significant increase in hair count (P < .05) compared to monotherapy. The present study suggests that combination therapy could be an effective, safe and promising option for the treatment of AGA. However, more RCTs are needed to further investigate and confirm the efficacy of combined treatment.

Effect of HongJing I in Treating Erectile Function and Regulating RhoA Pathway in a Rat Model of Bilateral Cavernous Nerve Injury.

HongJing I (HJI), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has been confirmed to be effective for the clinical treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the mechanism of action of HJI remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of HJI against ED in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Rats were divided into five groups: normal control (NC), BCNI-induced ED model (M), M + low-dose HJI (HL), M + medium-dose HJI (HM), and M + high-dose HJI (HH). All groups were treated with normal saline or the relevant drug for 28 consecutive days after inducing BCNI-ED. At the end of the treatment period, the intracavernous pressure (ICP) was recorded, and histological examination was conducted using Masson's trichrome staining. Immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were applied to detect the changes in fibrosis protein and Ras homolog A (RhoA), Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), and ROCK2 expression. We found that HJI effectively improved the ICP in the treatment groups. In addition, RhoA, ROCK1, and ROCK2 expression levels were increased upon BCNI-ED induction, and HJI successfully inhibited cavernosum fibrosis and the activation of RhoA/ROCK2 signaling. Overall, these results suggest that the effects of HJI in attenuating ED may be caused, at least in part, by the suppression of RhoA/ROCK2 signaling and alleviation of fibrosis. However, the precise mechanism surrounding this requires further investigation in future studies.

The mechanism of activated platelet-rich plasma supernatant promotion of hair growth by cultured dermal papilla cells.

BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an innovative treatment of androgenic alopecia in the early stages of development, and its mechanism of action is not well investigated. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the promotion of hair growth by activated PRP supernatant in cultured dermal papilla cells (DPCs). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Human DPCs were isolated and grown in culture with or without activated PRP supernatant. The expression of phosphorylated growth factor receptors (GFRs) in cultured DPCs was assayed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Signal pathways mediated by GFRs were identified by a human phosphokinase array. RESULTS: Activated PRP supernatant enhanced the expression of phosphorylated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-1, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)α, and PDGFRß in cultured DPCs. Activated PRP supernatant activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathways that promoted proliferation of DPCs. Downregulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 was consistent with the involvement of Wnt signaling. Activated PRP supernatant increased the hair growth promoting ability of DPCs by activating the Wnt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Autologous activated PRP supernatant promoted signaling in cultured human DPCs via pathways known to be involved in hair growth. The results warrant further study of PRP for the clinical treatment of androgenic alopecia.

6-Gingerol inhibits hair cycle via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression.

6-Gingerol is the major active constituent of ginger. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of 6-Gingerol on hair growth. Mice were randomly divided into five groups; after hair depilation (day 0), mice were treated with saline, or different concentrations of 6-Gingerol for 11 days. The histomorphological characteristics of the growing hair follicles were examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. The results indicated that 6-Gingerol significantly suppressed hair growth compared with that in the control group. And choose the concentration of 6-Gingerol at 1 mg/mL to treated with mice. Moreover, 6-Gingerol (1 mg/mL) significantly reduced hair re-growth ratio, hair follicle number, and hair follicle length, which were associated with increased expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, the growth factors, such as EGF, KGF, VEGF, IGF-1 and TGF-ß participate in the hair follicle cycle regulation and regulate hair growth. We then measured the concentrations of them using ELISA assays, and the results showed that 6-Gingerol decreased EGF, KGF, VEGF, and IGF-1 concentrations, and increased TGF-ß concentration. Thus, this study showed that 6-Gingerol might act as a hair growth suppressive drug via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression, which could interfere with the hair cycle.

6-Gingerol inhibits hair cycle via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression

ABSTRACT 6-Gingerol is the major active constituent of ginger. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of 6-Gingerol on hair growth. Mice were randomly divided into five groups; after hair depilation (day 0), mice were treated with saline, or different concentrations of 6-Gingerol for 11 days. The histomorphological characteristics of the growing hair follicles were examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. The results indicated that 6-Gingerol significantly suppressed hair growth compared with that in the control group. And choose the concentration of 6-Gingerol at 1 mg/mL to treated with mice. Moreover, 6-Gingerol (1 mg/mL) significantly reduced hair re-growth ratio, hair follicle number, and hair follicle length, which were associated with increased expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, the growth factors, such as EGF, KGF, VEGF, IGF-1 and TGF-β participate in the hair follicle cycle regulation and regulate hair growth. We then measured the concentrations of them using ELISA assays, and the results showed that 6-Gingerol decreased EGF, KGF, VEGF, and IGF-1 concentrations, and increased TGF-β concentration. Thus, this study showed that 6-Gingerol might act as a hair growth suppressive drug via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression, which could interfere with the hair cycle.

6-Gingerol inhibits hair shaft growth in cultured human hair follicles and modulates hair growth in mice.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been traditionally used to check hair loss and stimulate hair growth in East Asia. Several companies produce shampoo containing an extract of ginger claimed to have anti-hair loss and hair growth promotion properties. However, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. This study was undertaken to measure 6-gingerol, the main active component of ginger, on hair shaft elongation in vitro and hair growth in vivo, and to investigate its effect on human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in vivo and in vitro. 6-Gingerol suppressed hair growth in hair follicles in culture and the proliferation of cultured DPCs. The growth inhibition of DPCs by 6-gingerol in vitro may reflect a decrease in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Similar results were obtained in vivo. The results of this study showed that 6-gingerol does not have the ability to promote hair growth, on the contrary, can suppress human hair growth via its inhibitory and pro-apoptotic effects on DPCs in vitro, and can cause prolongation of telogen phase in vivo. Thus, 6-gingerol rather than being a hair growth stimulating drug, it is a potential hair growth suppressive drug; i.e. for hair removal.

[Inhibition effect of 6-gingerol on hair growth].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 6-gingerol, the main active component of ginger, on hair shaft elongation in vitro and hair growth in vivo. METHODS: Firstly, Hair follicles were co-cultured with 3 different concentration of 6-gingerol for 5 days and hair elongation in three groups was measured. Secondly, The proliferative effect of 6-gingerol on DPCs was measured using MTT assay. Thirdly, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in DPCs were measured using Western blotting. In vivo study, the influence of 6-gingerol on hair growth in C57BL/6 rats was measured through topical application of 6-gingerol on the dorsal skin of each animal. RESULTS: The length of hair shaft in 20 microg/ml 6-Gingerol group (0.50 +/- 0.08 mm) is less than 0 microg/ml (0.66 +/- 0.19) mm and 10 microg/ml (0.64 +/- 0.03) mm 6-Gingerol group (P < 0.05). In cell culture, compared to 0 microg/ml and 5 microg/ml 6-Gingerol, 10 microg/ml 6-Gingerol can significantly inhibited the proliferation of DPCs (P < 0.05). Along with the growth inhibition of DPCs by 6-gingerol, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased obviously. In vivo study, the hair length and density decreased a lot after using 1 mg/ml 6-gingerol. CONCLUSIONS: 6-Gingerol can suppress human hair shaft elongation because it has pro-apoptotic effects on DPCs via increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. It might inhibit hair growth by prolonging the telogen stage in vivo.

Acupuncture treatment for Subacute Non-specific Low Back Pain-A Retrospective Cohort Study in the Role of the Back Exercise in Acupuncture Services for Low Back Pain Sufferers / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To investigate the interrelationship between back exercise and acupuncture curative effect,and unveil the reason that recovery usually delays in a number of low back pain sufferers. Method: The study is designed as a retrospect investigation. Seventy patients who were newly diagnosed with low back pain were sequentially selected and divided into two groups, 44 cases in the observation group treated with acupuncture plus exercise, and 26 cases in the control group only treated with acupuncture. The recurrence rates in the one-year follow-up after the acupuncture service were compared between the two groups. Result and Conclusion: Back exercise is a risk factor associated with frequent back pain recurrence. In contrast, acupuncture is an effective intervention method for the treatment and prevention of non-specific low back pain.