Abstract:
In recent years, the potential of Neem lMelia azadirachta L) as an anti-aging supplement has been
investigated in the health food industry. It has been traditionally used in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine
(traditional system of medicine practiced in India) and also has been studied as an anti-cancer as well as
anti-microbial agent. This study aimed to determine the effect of Neem leaf extract (NLE) on hair growth'
To evaluate the anti-oxidant potential of NLE, we measured free radical scavenging activity of NLE
through the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, wherein NLE displayed significant DPPH-free
radical scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of human hair follicle dermal papilla
cells [hHFDpCs) with NLE upregulated insulin-like growth factor-1 [lGF-1), which promotes hair growth'
Furthermore, NLE down regulated hair-growth inhibitors, such as transforming growth factor-beta 1[TGF-beta-1J, interleukin-1-alpha [L-1-alpha), IL-1-beta, IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase
(iNOS). In addition, treatment with NLE down regulated the androgen receptor (ARl and
dinyaiotestosterone (DHTJ enzyme S-alpha-reductase in hHFDPCs. The results of the present study
suggest that NLE promotes hair growth and inhibits hair loss by regulating the expression of hair growth
factors and hair growth inhibitors.
