5α-reductase inhibition and hair growth promotion of some Thai plants

[Dord]

Hello all,

 

Has anyone had any experience with some of the unusual plants mentioned in this study?

 

Here is the abstract:

Aims of the study

The purpose of this research is to define the possible mechanisms involved in hair loss treatment of the selected plants by determining the 5α-reductase enzyme inhibition and hair growth promoting activities, and the relationship between these two activities.

 

Materials and methods

Seventeen Thai plants traditionally used for hair treatment were selected. The plants were dried, ground and extracted by maceration with ethyl alcohol. These extracts were further tested for 5α-reductase inhibition using enzymes from rat livers. Hair growth promoting activity was tested in C57BL/6 mice.

 

Results

Carthamus tinctorius L. was the most potent 5α-reductase inhibitor, with a finasteride equivalent 5α-reductase inhibitory activity (FEA) value of 24.30 ± 1.64 mg finasteride equivalent per 1 g crude extract. Phyllanthus emblica L. was the second most potent inhibitor, with FEA of 18.99 ± 0.40. Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz. was the least potent 5α-reductase inhibitor (FEA 10.69 ± 0.96). Carthamus tinctorius also was the most potent hair growth promoter in C57BL/6 mice. There were strong relationships between 5α-reductase inhibitory activity and hair growth promoting activity (r = 0.719), and between 5α-reductase inhibitory activity and hair follicle count (r = 0.766).

 

Conclusions

Ethanolic extract of Carthamus tinctorius was the most potent 5α-reductase inhibitor and hair growth promoter. This discovery may lead to the development of new alternative medicines for hair loss prevention and treatment.

 

The authors actually studied a litany of different plants, a few well-known to us, like ginger. Others, like the Indian Gooseberry, would be difficult to get as a supplement.

 

The most effective plant was safflower. I have read about the dangers of safflower for those at risk of cardiovascular disease but I have not researched it fully.

 

Lemongrass comes in at third. There is a very inexpensive lemongrass supplement, because it is, well, lemongrass, but this only contains the aerial parts. I do not know if aerial parts were used in this study.

 

The butterfly pea comes in at sixth. Good luck getting your hands on that.

 

11th is the starfruit, but I would not want to take a risk given its levels of oxalate.

 

Green Chirayta is next, and there is a supplement available for it on Ebay, but the quality control is unknown.

 

Ditto for Cassia siamea/Senna siamea, which follows.

 

Safflower and lemongrass are the easiest to obtain, and appear to be a good supplement to the normal routine, depending on the amount of finasteride one takes daily.

 

On an unrelated note, has anyone had any improvement with the combination of soy isoflavones and capsaicin? The evidence for that is based on a separate study.

5-reductase inhibition.pdf