Here is some info I found on Hairsite that explains the mechanics of this substance
WASEDA'S COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS ON HAIR LOSS
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INTRODUCTION TO AMASHISO
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the following is reprinted from a series of posts submitted by Waseda in forum # 23.
( # ) = see Footnote to the right
The Analysis
How To Make Amashiso
Vendors
Adding Amacha to Souhakuhi
The Analysis
Please let me describe some update knowledge about 'how hair loss = early catagen phase entry happens' and one possible solution against it. First we must recognize that hair loss is the consequence of hair cells apoptosis. Why does the apostosis of cells in general occur? It's the final result of 'caspase activation cascade'. Caspases are cysteine protease and 14 kinds are know till now. Their precursors are produced as inactive forms. Free radical oxide, DHT, etc, damage the mitochondoris in the cell and the damaged mitochondoria vomits cytochrome c (cf. there are a, b, c, etc. cytochrome, but c in this case). The cytochrome c activates caspase 9. Notice the recent study (11) demonstrates TGF-beta2 activates caspase 9 around hair follicles. The activated (apoptosome formed) caspase 9 in upstream propagates towards downstream like cascade to caspase 3. Activation of caspase 3 is thought of the direct cause of cells apoptosis in general.
The start of catagen phase of hair is now thought of being equal to the initiation of hair cells apoptosis. Thus caspase 9 and/or caspase 3 are detected around catagen hair cells in many studies.
Then what induces caspase activation cascade and what blocks or stops the cascade stream in the context of hair loss?
1) Protein Kinase C family as an executor of apoptosis:
Protein Kinase C isozimes are involved in the final execution of cell apoptosis in relation to caspase 3. Caspase 3 activates PKC delta (1) and epsilon and PKC eta activates caspase 3 and TNF-alpha vice versa (2). As you may know, the reason why GSE (and thus Morehairin) delays the entry of catagen phase and elongates anagen phase is procyanidins contained in GSE are very potent PKC inhibitors. Other potent inhibitor of PKC is cyclosporin A (3), though it's somewhat dangerous even if applied topically.
Safe and quick acting inhibitor of PKC as well as TNF-alpha inhibitor is perilla leaf extract (4) and Amashiso spray for preventing hair fall out uses it as one ingredient.
2) TNF-alpha as a promotor of PKC and hair cell apoptosis
TNF-alpha induces PKC family and causes cell death through its induction (5). This pathway is known to be one major cause of hair loss (6). Notice that " their (=TNF-alpha + IL-1) injection significantly upregulated apoptosis after 6 h, which was further increased after 24 h". We may interpret TNF-alpha as a quick effecting proinflammatory cytokine. We may guess TNF-alpha is over-secreted if we see rapid hair loss.
Then what inhibits the dangerous TNF-alpha safely?
It's just perilla leaf extract and it also inhibits PKC which interacts with TNF-alpha (7),(8).
3) TGF-beta family as the bridge between DHT and caspases activation cascade
The big progress in hair loss study is researchers have found DHT promotes TGF-beta family and TGF-beta family cause caspases activation cascade and thus hair cell death, which means premature catagen outbreak, meaning Androgenetic Alopecia. For example, see (9), (10). Thus it is possible that premature catgen will be prevented by TGF-beta suppression. But, what inhibits the TGF-beta safely instead of e.g. dangerous anti-cancer stuff? Shiseido's study found it is near us. It is Amacha (Hydrangea macrophylla).
Therefore, we have three powerful causes of hair loss besides DHT, that is PKC, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta and we already know we have only to inhibits them in order to prevent premature catagen outbreak or unexpected hair fall outs.
Amachashiso spray contains 1) Shiso (=perilla leaf extract) for inhibiting PKC and TNF-alpha 2) Amacha (=Hydrangea macrophylla) for ihnibiting TGF-beta and 3) Senburi extract as base liquid.
Ama means sweet and cha means tea. Amacha(Hydrangea macrophylla Seringe var. thunbergii Makino) has been long used in far east area for sugar alternative among diabetes patients. It's empirically safe.
4) Dr. Sawaya's study suggests blocking caspases activation the key to preventing hair loss.
As Dr. Sawaya's study about Finasteride (12) indicates, how to prevent hair loss is focused on blocking caspases activation especially caspase 3. Caspase 3 is the direct cause of hair cells apoptosis and activated by the chain reaction of caspases activation from upstream. The first triggers may be DHT's damage or oxidation stress on mithochondria, TGF-beta induction from DHT, TNF-alpha induction from allergic inflammation, or PKC upregulation by caspases activation. We can summarize what we are doing here as follows:
Inhibiting 5AR by Finasteride, inhibiting DHT by bayberry extract, spironolactone
DHT blocking and caspase 3 downregulation
GSE (Morehairin) PKC downregulation and anti-oxidation
Perilla leaf extract TNF-alpha downregulation and anti-inflammation, PKC downregulation
Amacha extract TGF-beta downregulation
And all are supposed to be concentrated on the final goal: CASPASE 3 DOWNREGULATION.
5) So, you must have an important question: do we reverse our hair loss process if we block the apoptosis inducing substances for example TGF-beta family?
One answer is this.
"These results not only support the concept that one of the major functions of TGF-beta1 is the regulation through apoptosis of the anagen-catagen transition during the hair cycle (13), but also suggest that dysregulation of this process can lead to a hyperproliferative phenotype. The reversibility of hair loss in this model suggests that essential cellular components for hair follicle formation such as the stem cells are resistant to the apoptotic effects of TGF-beta1 and can regenerate afunctional hair follicle once TGF-beta1 expression is suppressed. Given the strong growth inhibitory effects of TGF-beta1 on keratinocytes, it seems unlikely thatTGF-beta1 becomes a direct mitogen in this setting, but rather that growth inhibition by TGF-beta1 is blocked.
(
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articl ... cgi?artid=
55386&rendertype=figure&id=F3)"
If so, do we think much of TGF-beta suppressor such as Amacha extract next to DHT suppressor such as spironolactone, finasteride, bayberry. etc, for our 'reversibility of hair loss'?
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How to make Amashiso for preventing hair fall outs?
Prepare 500-700ml of water. Boil 40g of Amacha, 20g of perilla leaves, 10g of Senburi with the water for 20-30min with low fire. If you feel troublesome to get Senburi, you can omit it. But you should use Amacha and perilla leaves absolutely because these two are the necessary inhibitors.
The resultant solution must be 250ml or so. Put the liquid into a jar or a pot. Put the ground (leaves) separately into 250ml of ethanol(100%) or strong liquor in the bottle with a tight lid. Leave them at least for 7 days. The alcohol extract can be used for a long time (even for months).
Store the water solution in the refrigerator.
Mix 70ml of the water extract with 30ml of alcohol extract (in short 7 : 3). This ratio can be changeable as your preference. For example, one that prefer to good penetration may increase alcohol extract. Put the mixture into spray bottle. You can store it under room temperatures.
Spray it before any application of other hair loss products.
Vendors for various ingredients:
Shanghai Sahanji sells all the ingredients
Shanghai Sahanji Simplified Order Form hosted by HairSite
Adding Amacha to Souhakuhi
Boil amacha leaves with water for 20 minutes. For example, 40g(amacha) in 500ml water to the effect 250ml solution. Separate the leaves and put them into 250ml ethanol (or high proof liquor). Store the water solution in refrigerator. After one week mix the alcohol extract 3 : water extract 7 (e.g. 15ml: 35ml). Mix this 50 ml with Souhakuhi 200ml, Morehairin 200ml or so, that is 20% amacha extract. This is only an example. You may increase/decrease the concentration of amacha.
