Formulation and Evaluation of Herbal Cream for the Management of Androgenetic Alopecia

The study aimed to develop a herbal hair cream to manage Androgenetic Alopecia, focusing on the inhibition of the 5 alpha reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a key factor in male pattern baldness. The cream contained 0.5% extracts of Hibiscus rosa sinensis flower, Eclipta alba whole plant, and Solanum nigrum plant berries in a 1:1:1 ratio. These extracts were found to contain 0.35% oleanolic acid, 4.65% β-sitosterol, and 31.18% linoleic acid. In-vitro results showed a good 5α-reductase inhibitory potential, with the IC50 value of the developed formulation being 85.254 ± 0.888 μg/ml, compared to 223.039 ± 1.367 ng/ml for finasteride, a synthetic medication. The study concluded that the herbal hair cream could benefit alopecia therapy by inhibiting the 5α-reductase enzyme and could be a potential option for further research into its antiandrogenic properties.