5α-Reductase Inhibition and Hair Growth Promotion of Some Thai Plants Traditionally Used for Hair Treatment

    December 2011 in “ Journal of Ethnopharmacology ”
    Naphatsorn Kumar, Wandee Rungseevijitprapa, Nual-Anong Narkkhong, Maitree Suttajit, Chaiyavat Chaiyasut
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    TLDR Some Thai plants, especially Carthamus tinctorius, could help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth without adverse effects.
    The 2012 study examined the effects of 17 Thai plants on hair growth and 5α-reductase inhibition, with Carthamus tinctorius L. showing the most significant results. This plant had the highest finasteride equivalent inhibitory activity (FEA) of 24.30±1.64 mg per gram of crude extract and was also the most effective at promoting hair growth in mice. A strong correlation was found between 5α-reductase inhibition and both hair growth promotion (r=0.719) and hair follicle count (r=0.766). The study suggests that the ethanolic extract of Carthamus tinctorius could be an effective alternative for hair loss prevention and treatment, potentially offering a safer topical alternative to minoxidil therapy, as no adverse effects like erythema or scaling were observed in the treated mice. The research is moving towards developing a hair formulation using nanoparticles for targeted delivery to hair follicles.
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