History as a Tool in Identifying New Old Drugs
January 2002
in “
Advances in experimental medicine and biology
”
Studysummary This article reviews the historical context of finasteride's development for BPH and its serendipitous discovery for hair growth, reporting no new research outcomes.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
Merck's drug finasteride, initially released as Proscar® for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), was later marketed as Propecia® for male pattern baldness after users reported hair growth. This discovery was paralleled by ancient knowledge of similar effects from plants like nettle and saw palmetto. Research by Jean Wilson and Donald Coffey identified finasteride's mechanism as a reductase inhibitor, which was later found to be mimicked by these plants. Dennis Awang hypothesized that these plants shift androgen/estrogen ratios, similar to finasteride's action.
