Teicoplanin Alleviates Androgenetic Alopecia Through Inhibition of Androgen Receptor Expression and Enhancing Dermal Papilla Cell Proliferation

    February 2026 in “ European Journal of Pharmacology ”
    Yuqing Zhou, Qiman Lin, Shitao Wang, Jingsong Guan, Yao Wang, Jianglin Fan
    Studysummary In this study, teicoplanin significantly improved hair regrowth and follicle size in mice with dihydrotestosterone-induced androgenetic alopecia, suggesting its potential as a treatment option for hair loss due to its ability to enhance cell proliferation and decrease androgen receptor protein levels.
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    This study identifies teicoplanin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, as a promising therapeutic candidate for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by inhibiting androgen receptor (AR) expression and enhancing dermal papilla cell proliferation. Through virtual screening of 3014 compounds, teicoplanin showed potent binding affinity for the AR ligand-binding domain. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that teicoplanin reduced AR protein levels and promoted hair regrowth in DHT-induced AGA mice, with significant improvements in hair coverage and follicle size at a high dose. Teicoplanin also increased cellular proliferation markers and downregulated AR and its target genes, suggesting its potential as a novel treatment for AGA.
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