Hair Growth Promoting and Anticancer Effects of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) Inhibitors Isolated from Different Parts of Alpinia zerumbet

The study from 2017 explored the potential of compounds from Alpinia zerumbet as treatments for hair loss and cancer. Kaempferol-3-O-ß-D-glucuronide (KOG) and labdadiene were among the compounds tested for their ability to promote hair growth and inhibit cancer cell proliferation. KOG significantly increased human follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation by 117%-180% at 10 µM concentration, while labdadiene was the most potent in inhibiting PAK1-dependent growth of A549 lung cancer cells with an IC50 of 67 µM. These findings indicate that the compounds could serve as dual-function agents for hair regrowth and cancer therapy by targeting PAK1, a kinase involved in both hair cell growth and cancer cell growth.