TLDR 4-(4-Phenoxybenzoyl)benzoic acid derivatives can both increase and decrease certain types of reactive oxygen species, and may be relevant to hair loss.
The 2003 study investigated the effects of 4-(4-Phenoxybenzoyl)benzoic acid derivatives (PBADs) on reactive oxygen species. The researchers found that PBADs inhibited rat and human a-reductase isozymes 1 and 2 in vitro, suggesting potential relevance to hair loss. PBADs were found to enhance chemiluminescence from O₂ up to fivefold and increase the production of HO from H₂O₂ up to 90%. They also inhibited the ¹0₂ dependent 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide radical. The compounds were effective inhibitors of hydroxyl radicals (HO*) and singlet oxygen (¹0₂), but not superoxide radicals (O₂). However, under certain conditions, they also demonstrated prooxidant effects. The researchers suggested that the prooxidant activity of PBADs might contribute to their inhibition of 5a-reductase, an enzyme involved in hair loss, but emphasized the need for further studies.
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