Vanillic Acid Stimulates Anagen Signaling via the PI3K/Akt/β-Catenin Pathway in Dermal Papilla Cells

In a 2020 study, researchers discovered that vanillic acid, a plant metabolite found in wheat bran, can stimulate hair growth by promoting the anagen phase of hair growth. This is achieved by activating the PI3K/Akt/β-Catenin pathway in dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which are essential for hair growth and regeneration. Vanillic acid was also found to increase the levels of cell-cycle proteins cyclin D1, CDK6, and Cdc2 p34, which are associated with cell proliferation. Furthermore, it was observed that vanillic acid could reverse the decreased level of β-catenin caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone implicated in the development of androgenetic alopecia. These findings suggest that vanillic acid could potentially be used as a treatment for hair loss conditions such as alopecia.