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REVIEW ARTICLE

Herbal Medicines For Treatment of Androgenic

Alopecia

Solmaz Asnaashari, PhD; Yousef Javadzadeh, PhD

ABSTRACT
Backgrounds • Androgenic alopecia is a common and alopecia and introducing the phytochemicals, biological
unpleasant problem that directly influences the self- effects, responsible constituents and the mechanism of
confidence and individual life quality. There are various this action.
treatment choices that currently are used by people Results • The 23 medicinal fungi or plants with their
suffering from androgenic alopecia. Drug therapies (e. g. possible mechanisms and active phytoconstituents, which
minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, prostaglandin were used in androgenic alopecia are described.
analogues, ketoconazole, Cyproterone acetate and Methods/Design • In this review, most of the natural
spironolactone), Laser-light treatment, surgical treatment, sources that used in the treatment of androgenic alopecia
cell mediated treatment and alternative treatments were collected from electronic databases including Web of
(vitamin, mineral and herbal components) are common Science, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were
therapeutic methods suggested for management of searched for these plants. Data were gathered from 1970 to
androgenic alopecia. Herbal medicines are now commonly 2016.
used all over the world and this has increased global Conclusion • The summarized findings in this article
demand. Quality, safety and efficacy of these drugs have could be inspiration to product new formulations for
become a serious concern. treatment of androgenic alopecia with more effective
Objectives • The aim of this review is evaluating the properties and fewer side effect. (Altern Ther Health Med.
herbal or fungal medicines were used in androgenic 2020;26(4):27-35).

Solmaz Asnaashari, PhD, is at the Biotechnologhy Research on the regions of the body and the scalp hairs have much
Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. longer cycle than the other body regions. In addition, the
Yousef Javadzadeh, PhD, is at the Biotechnologhy Research length of the anagen phase and the volume of the hair matrix
Center and Drug Applied Research Center and Faculty of can be influenced by systematic and local factors and
Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran consequently follicles turn into larger or smaller ones. Each
1-4
day, about 100 hairs in telogen phase are shed from the head
Corresponding author: Yousef Javadzadeh, PhD and approximately the same number of follicles entering in
E-mail address: javadzadehy@tbzmed.ac.ir to the anagen phase.
Androgenic hormones are almost responsible for about
95% of human hair loss, which both men and women could
INTRODUCTION be influenced by them. The other common reasons of hair
The hair follicle growth cycle has three phases, growth loss including alopecia areata (a common autoimmune skin
(anagen), apoptosis-driven regression (catagen) and rest disease), telogen effluvium (such as stress related hair loss),
(telogen). In the normal scalps, most of the follicles are anagen effluvium (such as hair loss due to chemotherapy or
growing (90-95%), a few are undergoing catagen phase (less radiation), scarring alopecia (for example: burns, trauma and
than 1%) and the remains are resting (5-10%). At the end of dermatosis), self-induced hair loss (such as trichotillomania)
the telogen phase, the hair is shed and the following cycle is and hair loss secondary to fundamental diseases (such as
initiated. The period of anagen phase controls the length of thyroid dysfunction and fungus infections). Male hormones
5-8
the hair and its diameter is determined by the volume of the or androgens are vital in regulating of hair growth. The hair
hair bulb. The duration of hair cycle in man is various depend roots locating under the skin, containing certain receptors

Asnaashari—Herbal medicines for Androgenic Alopecia ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, JUL/AUG 2020 VOL. 26 NO. 4 27