Serenoa Repens Extracts Promote Hair Regeneration and Repair of Hair Loss in Mouse Models by Activating TGF-β and Mitochondrial Signaling Pathway

The study conducted by H.-L. Zhu, Y.-H. Gao, J.-Q. Yang, J.-B. Li, and J. Gao in 2018 investigated the effects of liposterolic extracts of Serenoa repens (LSESr) on hair cell growth and regeneration. The researchers used human keratinocyte cells and a hair loss mouse model for their experiments. They found that LSESr treatment significantly increased cell viability compared to cells treated only with dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to hair loss. In the mouse model, LSESr treatment post-DHT injection led to a significant increase in hair density, weight, and thickness, and triggered follicle growth while decreasing the inflammatory response. The treatment also significantly decreased TGF-β2 and cleaved caspase 3 expression, enhanced Bcl-2 expression, and reduced Bax expression compared to DHT-treated mice. The effects of LSESr were found to be substantial, even matching the potential of finasteride, a medication commonly used to treat hair loss. The researchers concluded that LSESr promoted hair regeneration and repair in hair loss mouse models by activating the TGF-β signaling and mitochondrial signaling pathway.