Isolation and identification of hair growth potential fraction from active plant extract of Blumea eriantha DC grown in Western Ghat of India: In silico study

In Aayurveda, Blumea eriantha DC has been used in the management of various diseases and is found to exhibit antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic, hypoglycemic, anti-diarrhoeal, larvicidal, antimicrobial properties. The present study has focused on isolation of the active fraction from B. eriantha DC extract and to investigate its effect as a hair growth promoter along with identification of phytoconstituent(s) responsible for hair growth activity and its probable mechanism of action. Our work introduces an effective isolation protocol for the active fraction from B. eriantha DC extract using chromatographic techniques. Fraction A was isolated by using mobile phase toluene:acetone (9:1). In-vitro and in-vivo methods were executed for the evaluation of hair growth activity. Moreover, the docked conformations of the isolated phytoconstituent Dimethyl sulfone was compared to Minoxidil for selected proteins namely 2FGF, 2PVC and 4U7P. The PDB identifications 2PVC (DNMT3L recognizes unmethylated histone H3 lysine 4), 4U7P (Crystal structure of DNMT3A-DNMT3L complex and 2FGF (Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor) were downloaded from Protein Data Bank. The study data revealed that B. eriantha DC alcoholic extracts exhibited prominent hair growth activity and it was affirmed that Dimethyl sulfone a phyto-constituent isolated from B. eriantha DC alcoholic extract contributed for the same. The findings strongly suggest hair growth promotion potential of the extract of B. eriantha DC. [Display omitted] •Dimethyl sulfone phytoconstituents was successfully isolated from the BE alcoholic extract.•Dimethyl sulfone phytoconstituents was successfully screened as a hair growth promoter in V-life software.•Fraction A of BE alcoholic extract containing dimethyl sulfone treated animal showed induction in hair follicle.•Results of alcoholic extract of BE and fraction A were alike Minoxidil.•Results of alcoholic extract were more prominent due to presence of dimethyl sulfone phytoconstituents.