http://www.elements4health.com/novel-ha ... vitro.html
Currently, the typical drug-based regimen for pattern hair loss is either minoxidil and/or finasteride – or, in some cases, dutasteride. A word of caution with all current drug-based options is the potential for negative side effects. Alternatively, in the past few years a series of naturally-based hair loss treatments have been developed containing plant-derived active compounds. These generally offer an excellent safety profile, however, with rare exception, they remain largely unsupported by objective third party evidence.
The development of safe and highly effective treatments for hair loss thus remains a challenging goal. While the genetic basis of pattern hair loss has not yet been completely determined, it is clearly a complex genetic disorder in which multiple genes, hormonal pathways and environmental factors contribute to how the disorder manifests. To date, DHT (dihydrotestosterone) inhibition remains the main target for medical therapy shown to slow the progression of pattern hair loss.
Previously, in a small IRB-monitored trial, we tested the efficacy of the liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr), aka saw palmetto extract and a sub-constituent, ?-sitosterol, in subjects with pattern hair loss and showed a highly positive response to treatment. The resulting publication in 2002 established the clinical effectiveness of naturally occurring DHT inhibitors in the setting of pattern hair loss for the first time. LSESr, sourced from the fruit of the saw palmetto tree contains a veritable stew of bioactive fatty acids and sterols, including stigmasterol, campesterol, and ?-sitosterol.
Saw palmetto first came into widespread clinical use in Europe as a proven safe and effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Notably, in a direct comparison of LSESr against finasteride, it was reported that LSESr exhibited a 3-fold greater inhibition of 5-alpha reductase (5AR) a key enzyme linked to DHT metabolism in in vitro assays. But clearly blockade of 5AR treats only one aspect of hair loss. Chronic inflammation is recognized at the molecular and cellular levels as the final common pathway of many systemic and degenerative diseases, including those affecting the skin and hair. It has also been observed that inflammation plays a role as a contributing factor to common pattern hair loss. Under the microscope, sustained follicular inflammation is a known finding in cells extracted from hair loss affected scalp tissue.
In our most recent study, we sought to test a proprietary formulation containing LSESr, L-carnitine and thioctic acid (TA) in a well-validated set of basic science experiments representative of hair loss affected hair follicles. Our rationale was based on the understanding that L-carnitine, TA and LSESr operate through distinct, but potentially interrelated, biochemical and molecular mechanisms. For instance, accumulating evidence suggests that L-carnitine may play a significant role in prevention and treatment of numerous diseases as well as protection from accelerated aging that result from oxygen free-radical damage, including reactive oxygen species (ROS).
One line of research suggests that carnitine may possess the ability to promote hair growth in vitro by increasing energy supply to the rapidly growing, dividing and energy-consuming anagen hair matrix. Likewise, TA is now recognized as a compound with many biological functions, such as the regulation of pathogenic inflammatory events, including those in the skin. Thus, our hypothesis hinges on the enhanced benefit of combining targeted anti-inflammatory agents with 5-AR inhibitors.
Remarkably, we noted that our test composition effectively suppressed the expression of gene-based markers linked to pathologic skin inflammation — including the destruction of hair follicles.
Recognizing that inflammation contributes to a wide range of diseases, including those affecting the skin and hair, it is clear that inflammation in susceptible hair follicles represents a new and potentially viable therapeutic avenue. Since the clinical success rate for treatment of androgenetic alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia), one of the most common forms of hair loss, with androgen blockade alone is limited, there is enormous unmet medical need for patients who are unresponsive to current therapy.
References:
1. Chittur S., Parr B., Marcovici G. Inhibition of Inflammatory Gene Expression in Keratinocytes Using a Composition Containing Carnitine, Thioctic Acid and Saw Palmetto Extract. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep102.
Currently, the typical drug-based regimen for pattern hair loss is either minoxidil and/or finasteride – or, in some cases, dutasteride. A word of caution with all current drug-based options is the potential for negative side effects. Alternatively, in the past few years a series of naturally-based hair loss treatments have been developed containing plant-derived active compounds. These generally offer an excellent safety profile, however, with rare exception, they remain largely unsupported by objective third party evidence.
The development of safe and highly effective treatments for hair loss thus remains a challenging goal. While the genetic basis of pattern hair loss has not yet been completely determined, it is clearly a complex genetic disorder in which multiple genes, hormonal pathways and environmental factors contribute to how the disorder manifests. To date, DHT (dihydrotestosterone) inhibition remains the main target for medical therapy shown to slow the progression of pattern hair loss.
Previously, in a small IRB-monitored trial, we tested the efficacy of the liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr), aka saw palmetto extract and a sub-constituent, ?-sitosterol, in subjects with pattern hair loss and showed a highly positive response to treatment. The resulting publication in 2002 established the clinical effectiveness of naturally occurring DHT inhibitors in the setting of pattern hair loss for the first time. LSESr, sourced from the fruit of the saw palmetto tree contains a veritable stew of bioactive fatty acids and sterols, including stigmasterol, campesterol, and ?-sitosterol.
Saw palmetto first came into widespread clinical use in Europe as a proven safe and effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Notably, in a direct comparison of LSESr against finasteride, it was reported that LSESr exhibited a 3-fold greater inhibition of 5-alpha reductase (5AR) a key enzyme linked to DHT metabolism in in vitro assays. But clearly blockade of 5AR treats only one aspect of hair loss. Chronic inflammation is recognized at the molecular and cellular levels as the final common pathway of many systemic and degenerative diseases, including those affecting the skin and hair. It has also been observed that inflammation plays a role as a contributing factor to common pattern hair loss. Under the microscope, sustained follicular inflammation is a known finding in cells extracted from hair loss affected scalp tissue.
In our most recent study, we sought to test a proprietary formulation containing LSESr, L-carnitine and thioctic acid (TA) in a well-validated set of basic science experiments representative of hair loss affected hair follicles. Our rationale was based on the understanding that L-carnitine, TA and LSESr operate through distinct, but potentially interrelated, biochemical and molecular mechanisms. For instance, accumulating evidence suggests that L-carnitine may play a significant role in prevention and treatment of numerous diseases as well as protection from accelerated aging that result from oxygen free-radical damage, including reactive oxygen species (ROS).
One line of research suggests that carnitine may possess the ability to promote hair growth in vitro by increasing energy supply to the rapidly growing, dividing and energy-consuming anagen hair matrix. Likewise, TA is now recognized as a compound with many biological functions, such as the regulation of pathogenic inflammatory events, including those in the skin. Thus, our hypothesis hinges on the enhanced benefit of combining targeted anti-inflammatory agents with 5-AR inhibitors.
Remarkably, we noted that our test composition effectively suppressed the expression of gene-based markers linked to pathologic skin inflammation — including the destruction of hair follicles.
Recognizing that inflammation contributes to a wide range of diseases, including those affecting the skin and hair, it is clear that inflammation in susceptible hair follicles represents a new and potentially viable therapeutic avenue. Since the clinical success rate for treatment of androgenetic alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia), one of the most common forms of hair loss, with androgen blockade alone is limited, there is enormous unmet medical need for patients who are unresponsive to current therapy.
References:
1. Chittur S., Parr B., Marcovici G. Inhibition of Inflammatory Gene Expression in Keratinocytes Using a Composition Containing Carnitine, Thioctic Acid and Saw Palmetto Extract. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep102.