134 The Hair-Growing Activity of Procyanidin Oligomers

1T Takahashi, 1A Kamimura, 2S Honda, 3M Kagoura, 3M Ohtsuyama, 3M Morohashi. 1Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JP; 2Biochemicals Division, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Chiyoda, Tokyo, JP; 3Department of Dermatology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani, Toyama, JP.

Procyanidins are a family of condensed tannins we have identified in apples, which act as a hair-growing factor in the murine model both in vitro and in vivo. We have previously reported that the growthpromoting effect on murine hair epithelial cells attributable to procyanidin B-2, one species of procyanidin oligomer, reaches about 300% relative to controls; and have also shown that procyanidin B-2 possesses intensive anagen-inducing activity in the C3H in vivo mouse model. This presentation describes our investigations during a 12-month clinical trial of highly purified procyanidin oligomers isolated from unripe apples, chiefly comprising procyanidin B-2, procyanidin B-1, and procyanidin C-1. The clinical trial was performed in a total of 21 subjects showing male pattern baldness on the head. The test agent (about 1.8 ml per dose) was applied to the subjects’ affected scalp area twice a day, giving a daily dose of 16 mg of procyanidin oligomers. During the 12 months of twice-daily application of the agent, the hair-growing effects were evaluated according to the following parameters: the macrophotographically recorded change in the number of hairs in the designated scalp area, the changes in the diameter of hairs clipped from the designated scalp area, and the changes in the photographically recorded global view of the subjects’ heads. No side effects were observed in any subjects. After 12 months of use, 71% of the subjects showed an increased number of hairs in the designated scalp area relative to pre-trial measurements. The numbers of total hairs in the designated scalp area after the 12-month trial were significantly greater than the measured values at the start of the trial (paired t-test, p < 0.005). We also observed a clear trend towards increased number of non-vellus hairs (> 40 µm) in the designated scalp area after the 12-month trial compared to the values measured at the start of the test. A number of the subjects showed cosmetically satisfactory changes. Procyanidin therapy shows promise as a potential cure for male pattern baldness.