HAIR GROWTH–PROMOTING EFFECT OF L. ESCULENTUM EXTRACT 435 When the quantity of VEGF of mouse skin tissue treated with EAE, SCE, LTS, and min- oxidil was evaluated, the amount of RT-PCR products was found higher by 8.09%, 10.29%, 10.29%, and 5.14 % than that in the negative group. In KGF, the amount of RT-PCR products was higher by 9.29%, 11.43%, 12.14%, and 5.00% than that in the negative group. In IGF, the amount of RT-PCR products was higher by 12.68%, 15.49%, 13.38%, and 8.45% than that in the negative group. In TGF-β, the amount of RT-PCR products was higher by 8.46%, 10.80%, 10.00%, and 5.38% than that in the negative group. The mRNA expression of VEGF, KGF, and IGF-I in the 3% L. esculentum SCE group and 3% LTS group was found to be approximately two times more than those in the 3% minoxi- dil group. On the basis of these results, further tests were performed using LTS. Figure 1. Hair growth change of C57BL/6 mice after topical application of L. esculentum extracts at 4 weeks after treatment. Group 1: NC (ethanol) group 2: 3% L. esculentum EAE group 3: 3% L. esculentum SCE group 4: 3% LTS group 5: PC (3% minoxidil). Figure 2. Hair growth index of C57BL/6 mice after topical application of L. esculentum extracts for 4 weeks. Group 1: NC (ethanol) group 2: 3% L. esculentum EAE group 3: 3% L. esculentum SCE group 4: 3% LTS group 5: PC (3% minoxidil).

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 436 HAIR GROWTH–PROMOTING EFFECT OF HAIR TONIC CONTAINING 3% LTS After daily treatment for 4 weeks the C57BL/6 female mice treated with the hair tonic containing 3% LTS show increased hair growth compared to the NC group. The PC group treated with hair tonic containing 3% minoxidil showed hair growth levels similar to the 3% LTS product (Figs 4 and 5). EFFECT OF TEST HAIR TONIC CONTAINING 3% LTS ON THE MRNA LEVEL OF GROWTH FACTORS According to Fig. 6, increases in IGF-1 and a decrease in VEGF and TGF-β expression were signifi cant for THT. No signifi cant increases were observed in KGF over the NC. Figure 3. Comparison of (A) VEGF, (B) KGF, (C) IGF-1 and (D) TGF-β expression in C57BL/6 mice after topical application of experimental materials, NC: negative control (10% ethanol as a vehicle), EAE: 3% L. esculentum ethyl acetate extract, SCE: 3% L. esculentum supercritical CO2 extract, LTS: 3% isolated lycopene Tween 80 solution, PC: positive control (3% minoxidil) for 4 weeks. *p 0.05, **p 0.01 compared with control. Figure 4. Hair growth change of C57BL/6 mice after topical application of hair tonic product with 3% LTS during 4 weeks. Group 1: NC (10% ethanol) group 2: THT (tonic product with 3% LTS) group 3: PC (3% minoxidil).