Development Of In Vitro Test System For Assessing Effects Of Chemicals On Hair Growth In SD Rats

In this study, an assessment system of chemicals toxicity to hair in vitro was established by means of cultivating hair follicle of dorsal skin and vibrissa of SD rats in vitro in Williams'E media without serum. Finally in the assessment system, hair follicle of dorsal skin of 8~12 days old SD rats was selected. The first four days were decided to be the observing time of this assessment system. The indexes of assessment system were the growing length of hair in each day and the net increasing length in four days and 15 hair follicles were decided to be the samples quantity of each group in the assessment system. Leflunomide and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-c) which are known definitely to restrain hair growth were assessed and the result indicated the assessment system may effectively assess the toxicity of the two chemicals to the hair follicle which present a relation of dose-response. Minoxidil and cyclosporine(CsA), nerve growth factor (NGF), epidermal growth factor(EGF) which are known definitely to accelerate hair growth were assessed and the result indicated the assessment system may effectively pick the four chemicals to the hair follicle growth promoter action. The system which was simple, timesaving and convenient hopefully becomes a new assessment method of toxicity and phamcity of chemicals to hair by further consummates and confirmation.