TLDR Minoxidil is mostly safe, but high doses can cause electrolyte imbalances and heart issues in dogs.
The document reports on toxicological studies conducted on the hypotensive agent minoxidil. The drug was given to mice, rats, rabbits, miniature pigs, rhesus monkeys, and dogs for evaluation. The study found that minoxidil was relatively nontoxic to these animals when given at dosages far in excess of those required for hypotensive activity and was not teratogenic in rats and rabbits. However, doses great enough to produce clinical signs of systemic toxicity apparently did so by profoundly altering electrolyte balances. The study also found that a consistent finding in dogs, but in none of the other species studied, was a specific lesion in the wall of the right atrium.
90 citations,
May 1972 in “Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics” Minoxidil quickly leaves blood, turns into urine metabolites, and has lasting blood pressure-lowering effects.
January 2023 in “Dermatologic Therapy” The new 5% minoxidil foam is as effective and safe as Rogaine® for treating hair loss in Chinese men.
16 citations,
January 1995 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology” SEPA™ enhances the effectiveness of minoxidil in stimulating hair growth, working faster and better than Rogaine® TS, with no significant side effects.
6 citations,
July 2005 in “Farmaco” A quick and simple method was created to identify minoxidil in hair-growth products using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography.
1 citations,
May 2014 in “Hair transplant forum international” Rogaine can stop hair loss in women, and other treatments like certain pills, light therapy, and special shampoos may also work.
April 2011 in “The FASEB Journal” Topical Minoxidil is cost-effective for managing baldness but requires continuous use.
January 2011 in “The Internet Journal of Pharmacology” Minoxidil is cost-effective for regrowing hair on the scalp's top but not the front, requiring ongoing use.
