January 2023 in “Journal of pharmacognosy and phytochemistry” This discussion concluded that many herbal home remedies are effective for treating alopecia and other hair conditions without causing adverse reactions, as opposed to allopathic medicines that often have undesirable side effects.
September 2025 in “Ankara Universitesi Eczacilik Fakultesi Dergisi” This study analyzed the therapeutic potential of various plant species for alopecia areata treatment, highlighting their possible benefits due to anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, though more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved.
19 citations
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May 2014 in “Molecules” This study found that the methanolic heartwood extract of Avicennia marina significantly inhibits 5α-reductase type 1, reducing 5α-DHT production by 52% in a cell-based assay with human hair dermal papilla cells.
17 citations
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May 2021 in “Journal of Cell Science” In this study, the researchers discovered that specific polyamine depletion enhances stemness in hair follicle stem cells through a mechanism independent of mRNA translation.
December 2023 in “Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry” This study used molecular docking to identify stiripentol as a potential new inhibitor of the SRD5A2 enzyme, which is targeted for treating androgen-related diseases; however, in vivo trials are needed to validate its efficacy.
1 citations
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November 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that oral spironolactone is generally well tolerated and may be effective for treating female-pattern hair loss, with improvements in hair regrowth stability as measured by Sinclair scores.
January 2003 in “Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja)” This study isolated highly pure oleanolic and maslinic acids from olive milling residues, exploring their chemical reactions, including the formation of finasteride precursors.
January 2023 in “Pharmaceutics” In this study, researchers developed a new topical atraric acid formulation, AA-TF#15, which showed a significantly higher drug penetration and increased hair regrowth in mice compared to minoxidil and finasteride treatments, suggesting its potential effectiveness for treating scalp androgenic alopecia.
January 2025 in “International Journal of Advanced Research in Science Communication and Technology” Results are not reported for this study exploring how herbal hair dye, made from natural plant-based ingredients, might promote glossier, longer, and thicker hair while covering gray.
June 2024 in “International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research” This study aims to develop and evaluate herbal shampoo powder made from natural ingredients, focusing on its efficacy in removing debris and dandruff, enhancing hair development and shine, and strengthening and darkening hair. Results are not reported.
November 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study investigated the use of spironolactone in patients with estrogen-dependent cancers, aiming to determine if it is linked to increased cancer recurrence risk, but results are not reported.
38 citations
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January 2002 in “Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin” This study reported that the aqueous ethanol extract of Lygodii Spora demonstrated in vitro testosterone 5alpha-reductase inhibition and in vivo anti-androgenic activity, potentially due to oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids.
July 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” In this study, in silico analysis identified Saponin Re and Emodin as promising candidates for topical treatment of androgenetic alopecia, with Biochanin A having the most favorable safety profile among the tested compounds.
101 citations
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January 1985 in “British Journal of Dermatology” This article discusses oral spironolactone therapy for female patients with acne, hirsutism, or androgenic alopecia and reports no new clinical results.
6 citations
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February 2020 in “Journal of Natural Products” In this chemical investigation, cyclospongiaquinone 1 from the sponge Verongula cf. rigida showed strong steroid 5α-reductase inhibitory activity, comparable to that of finasteride.
52 citations
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January 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study observed that finasteride and spironolactone both led to a similar significant, but limited, improvement in hirsutism despite their differing effects on androgen levels.
May 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This study identified Saponin Re and Emodin as top candidates for treating androgenetic alopecia, suggesting future research in dermal papilla cell cultures and scalp organoids despite safety concerns.
November 2023 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” This study found that both oral and topical formulations of VISPOTM, a saw palmetto oil, significantly reduced hair fall and increased hair density in subjects with androgenetic alopecia, with no serious adverse effects observed.
August 2022 in “Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatologists” In this study, the application of topical 1% spironolactone in patients with androgenetic alopecia significantly increased hair count and thickness in females and increased hair count in males, though not all hair types showed significant changes.
This study observed that a combination of sinapic acid and glabridin from Zhimo herbal extract improved hair growth and reduced oxidative stress in a DHT-induced model of androgenetic alopecia in mice by preventing ferroptosis and stabilizing β-Catenin, offering potential application for AGA treatment.
May 2026 in “Open Science Framework” This study conducted an in silico evaluation of Korean herbal compounds against key targets involved in androgenetic alopecia, finding Biochanin A, Saponin Re, and Emodin as promising candidates for topical treatments, but highlighting safety and topical formulation challenges.
50 citations
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August 1985 in “Journal of steroid biochemistry/Journal of Steroid Biochemistry” This study found that spironolactone directly inhibits 5 alpha-reductase activity in hirsute women, resulting in decreased conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which may contribute to its therapeutic effects.
75 citations
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November 2016 in “Medicines” This review discusses the properties and therapeutic potentials of beta-sitosterol, highlighting a need for more detailed studies on its mechanisms and long-term effects in humans; it reports no new results.
19 citations
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January 1997 in “Dermatologic Clinics” This chapter reviews various antiandrogens and androgen inhibitors, detailing their mechanisms, uses, and side effects, with a focus on spironolactone, finasteride, dutasteride, and oral contraceptives.
July 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This study used a multi-layer in silico framework to evaluate Korean herbal compounds for androgenetic alopecia, identifying Biochanin A, Saponin Re, and Emodin as potential topical candidates with distinct safety and affinity profiles, although these findings remain purely computational without experimental validation.
May 2026 in “Drug Delivery and Translational Research” Nanocarriers with spironolactone and 2-deoxy-D-ribose may improve hair loss treatment by targeting hair follicles directly.
1 citations
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September 2023 in “Molecules (Basel. Online)” This source highlights that while plant sterols show potential benefits and applications in various industries, significant research gaps, including their complex structures and mechanisms, hinder their broader use, emphasizing the need for innovative sources and sustainable methods for their study.
32 citations
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October 2003 This review reports that 100 mg/day spironolactone improved hair growth more than placebo and was more effective in reducing hair growth than finasteride and low-dose cyproterone acetate, but its effectiveness for acne remains unclear due to small sample sizes.
February 2025 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Spironolactone helps prevent swelling caused by minoxidil in women with hair loss.
32 citations
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August 1985 in “Clinical endocrinology” This study concluded that spironolactone may be an effective therapy for a subgroup of hirsute patients, as it reduced plasma testosterone and improved certain hair growth measures.