January 2026 in “Applied Biological Chemistry” This study found that Ishophloroglucin A from brown seaweed may treat androgenic alopecia by inhibiting 5α-reductase and promoting hair growth-related factors in human dermal papilla cells.
12 citations
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November 2024 in “Plants” This study found that the phytosterols β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol have low-to-negligible inhibitory activity against steroidal 5α-reductase type 2 compared to the synthetic inhibitor dutasteride, with β-sitosterol showing the highest activity among the tested phytosterols.
15 citations
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January 1954 in “Endocrinology” This investigation examined the hypothesis that thyroid hormones in hair contribute to hair growth by supplying iodine, but it presents no new results.
2 citations
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December 2021 in “ScienceRise” This study identified optimal parameters for extracting oil from Urtica dioica roots to maximize phytosterol content, using corn oil and a 1:5 raw material-extract ratio over a 6-hour maceration period.
June 2021 in “F1000Research” This review explores plant-derived phytochemicals, such as phytosterols, polyphenols, and fatty acids, for their potential use as alternative treatments for prostate cancer, emphasizing their effects on 5-alpha-Reductase enzyme isozymes. It reports no new clinical results.
This study found that RXR and RAR proteins were detectable in normal human skin, suggesting they may play a role in epidermal cell differentiation and hair and gland physiology.
June 2026 in “International Journal of Pharmaceutics” April 2011 in “Journal of Medicinal Plants Research” This study found that Ocimum basilicum L. showed the highest 5α-reductase inhibitory activity among ten Thai plants, despite no correlation between enzyme inhibition and total phenolic content.
January 2008 in “Lishizhen Medicine and Materia Medica Research” This study found that the n-butanol extract from Untica mairei Levl's roots significantly inhibited 5α-reductase activity in an in vitro model using rat prostate enzyme.
15 citations
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June 2018 in “Journal of Chromatographic Science” This study successfully developed a method to measure four flavonoids from Platycladus orientalis leaves in rat plasma, which was used in a pharmacokinetic study on healthy rats.
22 citations
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June 2002 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” This study found that several synthesized compounds were potent inhibitors of human steroid 5alpha-reductase type 2 and reduced prostate weights in treated rats, with compound 15 showing promise for potency in humans.
June 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This study used molecular docking to analyze the binding affinities of quercetin and kaempferol, plant-derived flavonoids, showing they have promising interaction profiles with JAK3 kinase and moderate binding with 5-alpha reductase type 2, suggesting potential as topical treatments for androgenetic alopecia.
8 citations
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July 2022 in “Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine” This review discusses the molecular phylogeny, chemical constituents, and therapeutic applications of medicinal plants in the Ranunculales order and reports no new clinical results.
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.
January 2023 in “International journal of advances in scientific research and engineering” This review explores the potential of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid with antioxidant and anticancer properties, to reduce colorectal cancer risk without side effects, focusing on their impact on molecular mechanisms, cancer cell proliferation, and apoptosis.
6 citations
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July 2024 in “Heliyon” This study examined the evolutionary and functional homology of steroid 5α-reductase and DET2 proteins, identifying protists as a common ancestor, and discovered a new subclass DET2-like in plants, potentially involved in polyprenol reduction.
13 citations
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January 2017 in “Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin” This study found that a synthetic avicequinone C analogue, 5e, was significantly more potent in inhibiting steroid 5α-reductase type 1 activity in human keratinocytes compared to the original isolated compound.
January 2017 in “Clinical approaches and procedures in cosmetic dermatology” This research outlines how retinoids, compounds based on vitamin A, activate nuclear receptors to influence cellular processes such as differentiation and carcinogenesis, with benefits like anti-inflammatory properties but requiring careful management of dose-dependent side effects.
48 citations
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May 2021 in “Molecules” The researchers found that plant extracts from Papaver rhoeas L., Clitoria ternatea L., and Carthamus tinctorius L. are effective natural cosmetic dyes, offering intense and stable colors without cytotoxicity.
4 citations
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August 2010 in “Acta Biologica Hungarica” This study found that novel compounds moderately inhibited 5α-reductase type 1 activity compared to finasteride, offering valuable data on structure-activity relationships.
June 2023 in “Journal of Natural Remedies” This study found that the methanolic extract of Hibiscus rosa sinensis exhibits promising 5α-reductase inhibitory activity, suggesting its potential use in the treatment of androgenic conditions like male pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
1 citations
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October 2024 in “Cureus” This study reported that women with polycystic ovarian syndrome have higher serum irisin levels, which are associated with metabolic and hormonal imbalances, including hyperandrogenism, total cholesterol, and visceral fat.
May 2023 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” This study found that AGA patients had higher serum and epidermal irisin levels, which were associated with metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and abnormal carotid intima media thickness, suggesting potential irisin resistance affecting cardiometabolic health.
May 2025 in “OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University)” This study identified six molecules from herbal extracts that effectively bind to 5-alpha reductase (5-AR), with Jomogenin showing high binding stability when encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, suggesting their potential for further experimental analysis to aid hair follicle growth.
December 1963 in “Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine” Radioiodine-131 significantly accumulates in skin and hair.
January 2024 in “Tropical journal of pharmaceutical research” This study found that extracts from Cirsium japonicum var. spinossimum seeds are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, demonstrating significant anti-inflammatory and cell proliferation effects in specific cell models, suggesting potential as a source for anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents.
1 citations
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March 2021 in “F1000Research” This review discusses plant-derived phytochemicals, such as phytosterols, polyphenols, and fatty acids, as potential alternatives to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors for prostate cancer treatment, highlighting their promising anti-cancer properties and potentially fewer side effects compared to conventional drugs.
March 2026 in “Inflammopharmacology” This study found that ursolic acid at 50 mg/kg improved biochemical, hormonal, and ovarian histopathological markers in a rat model of PCOS, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option.
30 citations
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January 2016 in “BioMed Research International” This study identified corilagin as a major antitumor component in Phyllanthus niruri, with broad-spectrum activity against cancer cells and high content in Dimocarpus longan.