Department of Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41944, Republic of Korea.
BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41944, Republic of Korea.
Molecules. 2024 May 13;29(10):2288. doi: 10.3390/molecules29102288.
This narrative review aims to examine the therapeutic potential and mechanism of action of plant extracts in preventing and treating alopecia (baldness). We searched and selected research papers on plant extracts related to hair loss, hair growth, or hair regrowth, and comprehensively compared the therapeutic efficacies, phytochemical components, and modulatory targets of plant extracts. These studies showed that various plant extracts increased the survival and proliferation of dermal papilla cells in vitro, enhanced cell proliferation and hair growth in hair follicles ex vivo, and promoted hair growth or regrowth in animal models in vivo. The hair growth-promoting efficacy of several plant extracts was verified in clinical trials. Some phenolic compounds, terpenes and terpenoids, sulfur-containing compounds, and fatty acids were identified as active compounds contained in plant extracts. The pharmacological effects of plant extracts and their active compounds were associated with the promotion of cell survival, cell proliferation, or cell cycle progression, and the upregulation of several growth factors, such as IGF-1, VEGF, HGF, and KGF (FGF-7), leading to the induction and extension of the anagen phase in the hair cycle. Those effects were also associated with the alleviation of oxidative stress, inflammatory response, cellular senescence, or apoptosis, and the downregulation of male hormones and their receptors, preventing the entry into the telogen phase in the hair cycle. Several active plant extracts and phytochemicals stimulated the signaling pathways mediated by protein kinase B (PKB, also called AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), Wingless and Int-1 (WNT), or sonic hedgehog (SHH), while suppressing other cell signaling pathways mediated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β or bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). Thus, well-selected plant extracts and their active compounds can have beneficial effects on hair health. It is proposed that the discovery of phytochemicals targeting the aforementioned cellular events and cell signaling pathways will facilitate the development of new targeted therapies for alopecia.
本综述旨在探讨植物提取物在预防和治疗脱发（秃顶）方面的治疗潜力和作用机制。我们检索并选择了与脱发、毛发生长或毛发生长有关的植物提取物研究论文，并综合比较了植物提取物的治疗效果、植物化学成分和调节靶点。这些研究表明，各种植物提取物在体外增加了真皮乳头细胞的存活和增殖，增强了体外毛囊中的细胞增殖和毛发生长，促进了体内动物模型中的毛发生长或再生。几种植物提取物的促毛发生长功效已在临床试验中得到验证。一些酚类化合物、萜类和萜类化合物、含硫化合物和脂肪酸被鉴定为植物提取物中含有的活性化合物。植物提取物及其活性化合物的药理作用与促进细胞存活、细胞增殖或细胞周期进程以及上调几种生长因子（如 IGF-1、VEGF、HGF 和 KGF（FGF-7））有关，从而诱导和延长毛发生长周期中的生长期。这些作用还与减轻氧化应激、炎症反应、细胞衰老或细胞凋亡以及下调雄性激素及其受体有关，防止毛发生长周期进入休止期。几种活性植物提取物和植物化学成分刺激了蛋白激酶 B（PKB，也称为 AKT）、细胞外信号调节激酶（ERK）、Wingless 和 Int-1（WNT）或 Sonic Hedgehog（SHH）介导的信号通路，同时抑制了转化生长因子（TGF）-β 或骨形态发生蛋白（BMP）介导的其他细胞信号通路。因此，精选的植物提取物及其活性化合物对头发健康可能有有益的影响。有人提出，发现针对上述细胞事件和细胞信号通路的植物化学成分将有助于开发脱发的新靶向疗法。
