Topical Curcumin Promotes Induction of the Murine Hair Cycle

In a study from 2016, researchers investigated the effects of topical curcumin on hair growth in mice. They discovered that curcumin, a compound from Curcuma longa, initiated the growth phase (anagen) of the hair cycle in wild-type C57BL/6 mice during the resting phase (telogen), with effects similar to JAK inhibitors like tofacitinib and ruxolitinib. Curcumin also influenced the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways in mouse skin. The study aimed to understand the mechanisms by which curcumin promotes the transition from telogen to anagen and to identify which part of the hair follicle responds most to curcumin. Although curcumin acted as a topical JAK inhibitor and induced anagen in C3H/HeJ mice with Alopecia Areata (AA), it did not fully reverse AA due to the persistence of cytotoxic immune cells. The researchers were exploring optimized curcumin formulations to improve dermal delivery and target the T-cells responsible for AA, with the ultimate goal of developing new treatments for AA and other hair loss conditions.