Induction of insulin‐like growth factor‐I by cepharanthine from dermal papilla cells: A novel potential pathway for hair growth stimulation

    October 2013 in “The Journal of Dermatology
    Shigeki Inui, Satoshi Itami
    Image of study
    TLDR Cepharanthine may help hair growth by increasing IGF-I in scalp cells.
    The study from 2013 investigated the effects of cepharanthine (CEP) on hair growth, focusing on its ability to induce insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) in dermal papilla cells (DPC) from three male patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The results showed that CEP at 0.1 µg/mL significantly increased both IGF-I mRNA expression and IGF-I protein secretion in DPC cultures. These findings suggest that CEP could stimulate hair growth by enhancing IGF-I production, presenting a potential new treatment for AGA and other hair loss conditions. The authors propose that topical application of CEP may be an effective method for combating hair loss.
    View this study on onlinelibrary.wiley.com →

    Cited in this study