The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Allium cepa extracts on hair growth in an alopecia model of C57BL/6N mice. Antioxidative activities of A. cepa extracts were examined with the DPPH free radical scavenging activity and the content of total polyphenols. The content of quercetin in A. cepa extracts was eamined by the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectroscopy.
Hair of eight-weeks old mice were removed by clippers, and animals were randomized and separated in 2 mice. There were six experimental groups including water-ethanol (D.W : 95% ethanol(v/v)=50:50, negative control), minoxidill, Acorus calamus extract, onion juice, EtOH and water extract of A. cepa.
The content of quercetin in A. cepa juice was 47,49 ppm, but, not detected in other fractions. The DPPH free-radical scavenging activity, the content of total polyphenols and hair growth promoting activity in EtOH extract of A. cepa skin was higher than other materials.
The result of this study was that the content of quercetin in A. cepa had no relation with antioxidative activities, but the relationship between antioxidative activities and hair growth promoting effect was considerable.