Evaluation of Hair Growth Promoting Activity of Standardized Soybean Extract on Testosterone-Induced Alopecia

January 2025 in “ Journal of Medicinal Food ”

Alaa Youssef, Dalia A. Al‐Mahdy, Rabab H. Sayed, Mouchira A. Choucry, Hesham I. El‐Askary

soybean extract testosterone-induced alopecia finasteride isoflavones genistin daidzin androgenic alopecia high-performance liquid chromatography SSE Propecia HPLC

Studysummary This abstract mentions that while synthetic drugs like minoxidil and finasteride for androgenic alopecia have side effects, the characteristics of popular natural alternatives, such as soybean, remain largely unreported, despite consumer preference for these products.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The study evaluated the hair growth-promoting effects of a standardized soybean extract (SSE) on testosterone-induced alopecia in adult male Wistar rats. Different concentrations of SSE (1%, 3%, and 5%) in coconut oil were tested and compared to a 2% finasteride solution. The results showed that the 5% SSE had the highest activity, with hair diameter, length, and density comparable to finasteride, likely due to its isoflavone content, specifically genistin and diadzin. The extract was standardized using high-performance liquid chromatography, revealing a genistin content of 6.2 µg/mL. The findings suggest that 3% and 5% SSE could be promising natural treatments for androgenic alopecia.

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