The Effect of Minocycline on the Metabolism of Androgens by Human Oral Periosteal Fibroblasts and Its Inhibition by Finasteride

A study investigated the effect of minocycline, an antibiotic, on androgen metabolism by human oral periosteal fibroblasts. The results showed that minocycline increased the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is associated with hair loss. Finasteride, a drug used to treat hair loss, inhibited this effect of minocycline. The study suggests that minocycline may contribute to hair loss by increasing DHT levels, and that finasteride may be an effective treatment option. The study was conducted using human oral periosteal fibroblasts from three donors.