Evaluation of Efficacy of Silybum Marianum Flower Extract on Mitigating Hair Loss In Vitro and In Vivo

The study evaluated the efficacy of Silybum marianum flower extract (SMFE) in mitigating hair loss both in vitro and in vivo. SMFE, containing 2% apigenin, promoted human follicle dermal papilla cell (HFDPC) proliferation, reduced oxidative stress-induced senescence, and increased VEGF production. In a clinical trial with 42 subjects with androgenetic alopecia, a shampoo with 0.05% SMFE applied daily for 24 weeks significantly improved hair density and thickness compared to the placebo. Hair density increased by 5.450 ± 5.306 each/cm² after 24 weeks in the test group, while the placebo group showed no significant changes. Visual evaluations confirmed these findings, suggesting SMFE as a potential natural treatment for hair loss with minimal side effects.