Garlic Exosomes Promote Hair Growth Through the Wnt/β-catenin Pathway and Growth Factors

The study conducted on 42 rats demonstrated that both oral and topical applications of Garlic Exosomes (GEs) significantly promoted hair growth by activating Wnt-1, β-catenin, VEGF, PDGF, and TGF-β1 signaling pathways. The number of anagen follicles (active growth phase of hair follicles) increased even at a low dose of GEs (2 mg/kg/day). A higher dose (4 mg/kg/day) resulted in larger follicle diameter and more pronounced activation of signaling pathways. Topical application of GEs not only increased anagen follicle growth equivalent to the low-dose oral GE but also increased the follicle diameter more than the low-dose oral GE, and stimulated the β-catenin, VEGF, PDGF, and TGF-β1 pathways to a greater extent. The study suggests GEs could potentially be used for treating hair loss in humans, pending further research.