Discovery of a plant extract that supports hair growth
- Focusing on the PlGF/VEGFR-1 pathway, which is important in hair formation -
May 28, 2025
ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City; President: Masashi Sugimoto) is conducting research to provide evidence-based solutions to the many people suffering from hair problems, such as thinning hair and hair loss, in order to realize the Rohto Group's Comprehensive Management Vision 2030, "Connect for Well-being." At its research base, Rohto Research Village Kyoto, the company has recently discovered a plant extract (Phellodendron Bark and Citrus Peel) that promotes the production of PlGF (Pl acental Growth Factor), which plays an important role in hair growth. Applying these research results, the company will develop products that will expand hair growth options not only for men but also for women and young people.
Key points of the research
- Discovered a plant extract (Phellodendron bark and Chinpi) that promotes PlGF production, which is related to hair growth
- Expectations are high for application in the development of hair growth products based on a new scientific approach
- Applying knowledge gained from vitamin research
Research Background
Figure 1: Mechanism of hair growth by promoting PlGF production
In order to support customers with hair concerns, regardless of gender or age, we have been conducting hair care research for many years, and have brought to market products using a variety of approaches, not only shampoos and other cleansing agents, but also hair growth and hair restoration agents. Although the market for hair growth and hair restoration agents has been performing well in recent years, we believe that people with concerns are unable to freely choose products due to various factors such as ingredients, price, and effectiveness. In order to solve this issue, based on our previous research results, we decided to focus on the PlGF/VEGFR-1 pathway in the hair bulb (Figure 1) and conduct research into promoting PlGF production in dermal papilla cells.
What is PlGF (Pl acental Growth Factor)?
It is produced by dermal papilla cells, which play an important role in the formation of hair at the base of the hair follicle. It binds to the receptor VEGFR-1 present in the hair matrix cells that form the hair, promoting the proliferation of hair matrix cells and supporting hair growth.
Although there have been fewer reports of this factor in relation to hair compared to other growth factors, we were one of the first to take notice of its potential and have been conducting research into it ever since.
result
The plant extract "Philosophallus chinpi" promoted the production of PlGF
From among the many candidate materials found in nature, we searched for plant extracts that act on dermal papilla cells and promote the production of PlGF, and found that Phellodendron bark and Citrus tangerine extract have this effect. We confirmed that when Phellodendron bark extract or Citrus tangerine extract was added to human hair dermal papilla cells, they produced approximately 2.1 times and 2.2 times more PlGF, respectively, than cells that did not receive the extract (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Changes in PlGF production per cell with the addition of Phellodendron bark and Citrus fruit
<Test Method>
Human hair papilla cells were seeded and, after 24 hours, the medium was replaced with a plant extract-containing medium. After a further 72 hours of culture, the supernatant was collected and the amount of PlGF produced in the supernatant was measured using ELISA. After collecting the culture supernatant, a cell nuclear stain was added to the culture plate, and the nuclei were counted to obtain the cell number. The amount of PlGF produced per cell was calculated, and the relative amount of PlGF compared to the untreated control was graphed (n=3; mean ± SD. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 (Student's t-test vs. Control). (Performed at Rohto Pharmaceutical Research Institute)
Future outlook
The results of this research have shown that the plant extract Phellodendron Bark and Citrus Peel have the effect of producing PlGF, which is involved in hair growth. This technology is expected to be applied not only to hair but also to eyelashes and other areas. We will continue our research to help more customers enjoy healthy hair.
Rohto Pharmaceutical's hair growth research focusing on PlGF
While conducting hair growth research focusing on various ingredients, we discovered that while vitamins are widely used in scalp products, there is limited scientific data on their effects and functions. Based on our long history of research into vitamins, including the effects of vitamin C on the skin and the stabilization of ingredients, we focused on this issue and evaluated the effects of vitamins on the cells that make up hair follicles.
As a result, it was found that the "PPT formula *1," which combines three types of vitamin derivatives, activates the PlGF/VEGFR-1 pathway by promoting PlGF production from dermal papilla cells, promoting hair matrix cell proliferation and elongating the hair shaft. This result was published in a paper *2 as a report scientifically supporting the hair growth effect of vitamins.
*1: PPT formula: A formula that combines the vitamin derivatives pantothenyl ethyl ether, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and tocopherol acetate.
*2: The results of this research were published as a paper in the international dermatology journal, Journal of Dermatological Science, in 2022. Vitamins and their derivatives synergistically promote hair shaft elongation ex vivo via PlGF/VEGFR-1 signaling activation, Journal of Dermatological Science 108 (2022) 2–11