Bioactive Metabolites of Edible Mushrooms Efficacious Against Androgenic Alopecia: Targeting SRD5A2 Using Computational Approach

The paper titled "Bioactive metabolites of edible mushrooms efficacious against androgenic alopecia: Targeting SRD5A2 using computational approach" explores the potential of secondary metabolites from mushrooms to inhibit the enzyme SRD5A2, which is responsible for the hyperactivity of steroid 5α-reductase2 (SRD5A2) in hair follicles and leads to androgenic alopecia (AGA). The study used computational approaches to identify potential inhibitors from a library of 152 secondary metabolites from mushrooms. Through virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulation studies, three metabolites named Zhankuic acid A, Sterenin M, and Melleolide K were found to have strong binding energy and drug likeliness properties, making them promising candidates for drug development against AGA. The findings suggest that these mushroom metabolites could potentially be used as natural and safe treatments for hair loss.