Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Maslinic Acid Promotes Hair Growth Comparable to Minoxidil: A New Insight on the Potential Involvement of Cilia Activity

The study explores the effects of maslinic acid (MA) on hair growth, comparing it to minoxidil (MIN). MA was found to significantly promote hair growth by upregulating key hair growth markers and activating signaling pathways such as Wnt, MAPK, Notch, and angiogenesis. It also suggests a novel link between cilia activity and hair growth, with MA upregulating IQCB1, a gene associated with ciliogenesis. In vivo experiments with C3H mice showed that MA promoted hair growth, with treated mice displaying darker skin and longer hair shafts. The findings indicate that MA could be a promising natural alternative for hair growth treatments, although further studies on its pharmacokinetics and the cilia-hair growth connection are needed.