Fructus Psoraleae Treating Androgenetic Alopecia Through 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibition and Nrf2-Keap1 Pathway

The study investigated the effects of Fructus Psoraleae (FP) on androgenetic alopecia, focusing on its inhibition of 5-α reductase and modulation of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway. Using various extraction methods and in vivo mouse models, the researchers found that the 75% ethanol extract of FP significantly inhibited 5-α reductase, particularly in the ethyl acetate fraction. This extract also promoted hair growth in mice, as evidenced by increased hair length and weight, and altered the expression of key genes and proteins associated with the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway. These findings suggest that FP could be a potential therapeutic agent for treating androgenetic alopecia.