Exploring the Potential of Eclipta Alba: A Promising Approach for Hair Treatment Management Through 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibition

The study explored the effectiveness of Eclipta alba (E. alba) extracts as natural inhibitors of 5-alpha reductase (5aR), an enzyme linked to male pattern hair loss. Two types of extracts were prepared using methanol and petroleum ether, with the latter containing a significant amount of β-sitosterol, a phytosterol. The petroleum ether extract had an IC50 value of 150.76 ± 4.56 µg/mL, while β-sitosterol alone had an IC50 of 77.09 ± 3.07 µg/mL, indicating their potential as 5aR inhibitors. However, these were less potent than the pharmaceutical 5aR inhibitor finasteride, which had an IC50 of 0.246 ± 0.02 µg/mL. The study suggests that the petroleum ether extract of E. alba, due to its high β-sitosterol content, could be a promising natural treatment for hair loss conditions like androgenic alopecia.