Stingless bee propolis promotes hair follicle regeneration and melanocyte function in chemotherapy-induced alopecia mouse model

Abstract

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is one of the most apparent symptoms of side effects in a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy using anti-cancer drugs, resulting in distress and a lower quality of life. Hence, this study investigated the protective and regenerative effects of Philippine stingless bee propolis on CIA in a murine model. Female C57BL/6N mice were subjected to hair cycle synchronization through depilation, followed by cyclophosphamide (CYP) administration to induce hair loss and graying. Daily topical application of 99.5% ethanol extracted propolis diluted twice with water was performed for 30 days. Results revealed that propolis-treated mice exhibited increased folliculogenesis and epidermal thickness, but not hair length, and improved melanogenesis compared to controls. Immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses revealed increased Ki67⁺ proliferative cells and reduced apoptosis (TUNEL⁺ cells) at the early 48 hours of topical treatment. Moreover, propolis upregulated expressions of Lef1 and melanogenic genes (Tyr, Tyrp1, Dct) at 30 days of treatment. These findings suggest that Philippine stingless bee propolis promotes hair follicle regeneration and melanocyte function, offering a potential natural therapeutic approach for CIA.