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China Surfactant Detergent & Cosmetics ›› 2021, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (9): 897-902.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-1803.2021.09.013

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Research progress on anti-hair loss mechanisms of plant extracts

Wang Qiang1,Shang Jiawei1,Lu You2,Lu Rongzhu1,*()   

  1. 1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Science, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
    2. Lianyungang Sipimo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222200, China
  • Received:2020-12-29 Revised:2021-09-07 Online:2021-09-22 Published:2021-09-23
  • Contact: Rongzhu Lu E-mail:lurz@ujs.edu.cn

Abstract:

Hair loss is a common disease, which is becoming more and more serious. It may cause emotional and psychological distress to patients, although it is not life-threatening. To date, the number of patients suffering from hair loss or alopecia has increased dramatically. Although two hair loss drugs, finasteride and minoxidil, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, their efficacy is limited and transient, due to low efficacy and undesirable side effects, such as pruritis, dryness, scaling, local irritation and dermatitis. Therefore, development of new products for alopecia treatment is one of the most attractive opportunities for the cosmetic industry. Many patients have attempted to find therapeutic herbs or compounds that function as safer and more potent treatments for alopecia. Hair follicle is the skin accessory organ that controls hair growth, and it is very sensitive to drugs, hormones and other factors. The hair growth cycle consists of three phases: anagen (growth phase), catagen (regression phase), and telogen (resting phase). Dysregulation of the hair growth cycle has been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of alopecia. Herbs or plant extracts can help prolong the anagen phase of hair follicle, prevent the progression from the anagen phase to the catagen phase, or promote the change from the telogen phrase to the anagen phase. Several traditional herbal medicines have been widely used for treating alopecia or preventing hair loss, with minimal or no side effects or toxicities. Hair growth was genetically regulated by many proteins and factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), β-catenin, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), sonic hedgehog (Shh), transformation growth factor-β (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and 5α-reductase. This review elucidated the mechanisms of herbs or plant extracts that are relevant to hair loss, in order to provide theoretical basis for preventing and treating hair loss.

Key words: plant extracts, hair loss, hair growth, mechanisms

CLC Number: 

  • TQ658