Assessment of Hair Growth Promoting Activity of Lawat
(Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob.) Leaves in Albino
Wistar Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Baraquia WGAD, Boniao DMO, Comia CNM, Coronado JLF, Divinagracia RZS,
Nadala LNJ, Salmasan SFD, Servidad LD, Uddin AI
West Visayas State University - College of Medicine, La Paz, Iloilo City, Philippines
Background of the Study
Results
Alopecia or hair loss has long been a common clinical
problem in dermatologic practice. Among the many causes
of alopecia, one of the most common in both men and
women is “shedding” or telogen effluvium, which can affect
the scalp and body hair. To date, only a few clinically proven
products, are used for treatment of hair loss. Lawat (Litsea
glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob.), has been traditionally used for
treating sprains and bruises and for curing hair loss,
diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal parasitism. The study aims
to determine the hair growth promoting activity of Lawat
leaves ethanolic extract based on the following parameters:
anagen/telogen ratio, hair growth initiation time, hair growth
completion time and mean hair length.
Quantitative analysis revealed that the different concentrations of
the lawat leaves ethanolic extracts manifested hair growth
promoting capacity comparable to that of the commercially
available 2% Minoxidil topical solution and superior to that of the
negative control (95% ethanol). Histologic evidence further
revealed that after treatment with the different concentrations of
the lawat leaves ethanolic extracts and the 2% Minoxidil topical
solution, hair follicles predominantly existed in the anagenic phase
and the number of anagen follicles (figure 1) far outnumbered the
number of telogen follicles (figure 2).
Materials and Methods
The lawat leaves were extracted using Cold Maceration
Method with ethanol as the solvent. There were four (4)
groups with assigned treatments – (A) negative control
(95% ethanol), (B) 50 mg/mL lawat leaves extract, (C) 100
mg/mL lawat leaves extract, and (D) positive control
(Minoxidil) – which were topically applied on the bald patch
of the dorsal region of the female albino Wistar rats, daily for
30 days. Hair growth promoting activity was then quantified
using the following parameters - hair growth initiation time,
hair growth completion time, and mean hair length from each
test group. Anagen/telogen ratio was also evaluated through
histopathological testing of the skin from each test group.
Minoxidil (2% topical solution) and 95% ethanol were used
as positive and negative controls, respectively.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The different concentrations of the lawat leaves ethanolic
extracts possess a potential hair growth promoting activity in
albino Wistar rats as evidenced by the hair growth
completion time, mean hair length and anagen/telogen ratio
values that were comparable to that of the commercially
available Minoxidil. Specifically, the lawat leaves ethanolic
extracts presented with superior results compared to the
negative control (95% ethanol) and comparable hair growth
promoting activity when compared to the positive control (2%
Minoxidil topical solution).
The Researchers would like to recommend that further
studies should be conducted using different concentrations
and other plant parts of lawat. In addition, other techniques
of extraction, and other solvents may be used for the study.
Figure 1. Anagen Hair Follicles
under the Compound Light
Microscope. Magnification:400x
Figure 2. Telogen Hair Follicles
under the Compound Light
Microscope. Magnification:400x.
Hair growth initiation time and completion time were observed in
all test subjects within a 30-day treatment period. Results of the
statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the
initiation time as evidenced by a p value of 0.081, however, there
are significant differences in the completion time as evidenced by
p value of 0.036. Out of the 6 animals assigned per treatment, 4
albino Wistar rats treated with the vehicle control did not
demonstrate hair growth completion within the allotted time frame;
the 30 day limit was instead used for these rats for statistical
purposes. (table 1). Average Hair Length measured on the 10th,
20th and 30th day revealed lawat leaves extract (50mg/mL and
100mg/mL) have hair length comparable to that of Minoxidil
(Figure 3).
Table 1. Hair Growth Initiation and Completion Time of Albino Wistar Rats Assigned to
different Treatment Groups
References
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Figure 3. Average Hair Length of Albino Wistar Rats Assigned to Different Treatment Groups.