Avicequinone C Isolated from Avicennia Marina Exhibits 5α-Reductase Type 1 Inhibitory Activity Using an Androgenic Alopecia Relevant Cell-Based Assay System

A study conducted in 2014 found that Avicennia marina (AM), a plant traditionally used in Egypt for skin diseases, has inhibitory activity against 5α-reductase-type 1 (5α-R1), an enzyme linked to androgenic alopecia (AGA), a common form of hair loss. The study used a cell-based assay with human hair dermal papilla cells (HHDPCs), which regulate hair growth. The results showed that AM reduced the production of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), a hormone implicated in AGA, by 52% at a concentration of 10 µg/mL. The study also identified avicequinone C, a compound in AM, as a 5α-R1 inhibitor with an IC50 of 38.8 ± 1.29 µM. This was the first report of AM and avicequinone C's anti-androgenic activity through 5α-R1 inhibition.