Hinokitiol, a Natural Tropolone Derivative, Inhibits TNF-Alpha Production in LPS-Activated Macrophages via Suppression of NF-Kappa B

The study investigated the effects of hinokitiol (HK) on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which is involved in skin inflammation and hair follicle apoptosis. HK was found to effectively suppress TNF-α production in LPS-activated macrophage-like cells, suggesting that the inhibition occurs at the transcriptional level. Additionally, HK down-regulated the phosphorylation of PDK1, Akt/PKB, and ERK, leading to a reduction in NF-κB activation. These findings indicated that HK could potentially treat hair loss by suppressing factors that promote follicular apoptosis and possibly stimulating new hair growth.