Doxorubicin-Induced Hair Loss in the Angora Rabbit: A Study of Treatments to Protect Against Hair Loss

In the 1987 study, Angora rabbits were used to test the efficacy of various treatments in preventing hair loss caused by the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. The rabbits received doxorubicin at a dose of 2 mg/kg twice weekly for three weeks, which led to a significant increase in hair loss and inhibition of new hair growth. Topical treatments, including dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with and without other compounds, and local hypothermia, were ineffective in preventing hair loss. However, dietary supplementation with a-tocopherol (vitamin E) showed some evidence of protecting against the effects of doxorubicin on hair growth. Rabbits on an a-tocopherol-deficient diet experienced decreased hair growth and some mortality, while those on a supplemented diet had increased plasma a-tocopherol levels and showed protection against hair growth inhibition. The study concluded that dietary a-tocopherol might offer some protection against doxorubicin-induced hair loss in this animal model.