Another Chinese medicine!

Supplements for hair loss
1

An extract isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Zi-Shen Pill (ZSPE)has been found to effective in the treatment of BPH in rats. So it should have effects on AGA also---------

J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Jan 17;115(2):203-8

Inhibitory effect of traditional Chinese medicine Zi-Shen Pill on benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

In the present study, we investigate the effects of an extract isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Zi-Shen Pill (ZSPE) on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats induced by testosterone after castration.

A total of 50 rats were equally divided into five groups: Group 1 served as control (sham-operated group); Group 2 was model group; Group 3 and Group 4 animals were administered with ZSPE at dose levels of 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg; Group 5 was served as positive control group and treated with finasteride at a dose of 1 mg/kg.

The drugs were administered orally once a day for 28 days consecutively. The prostate weight, prostatic index, and serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were significantly reduced and the pathological changes in BPH were also by ameliorated ZSPE.

Immunohistochemical examination revealed that the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in prostate were inhibited by ZSPE treatment, whereas the levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) were increased.

These results suggest that ZSPE has a definite inhibitory effect on BPH and might be an alternative medicine for treatment of human BPH.

2

[Effects of traditional Chinese herbs on growth of mouse hair follicles and hair bulb cells in vitro]

Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2006 Jul;35(4):435-9

OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effect of water soluble extracts of traditional Chinese herbs on growth of mouse hair follicles and hair bulb cells in vitro.

METHODS:
Mouse hair follicles and hair bulb cells were cultured in Williams E medium with (experimental groups) or without (control group) water soluble extracts of Chinese herbs; the experimental group was further divided into mixture and single herb groups. Hair growth was observed by microscopy and growth activity of hair bulb cells was detected by MTT colorimetric assay.

RESULT:
On day 7 of culture, the hair growth in the mixture groups was faster than that in the control group (P<0.05). On day 3 and 5 of culture, the cell growth activity in the mixture groups was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). While the hair growth and the cell growth activity between the single herb groups and the control group were not significantly different.

CONCLUSION:
The water soluble extracts of mixed traditional Chinese medicines can promote the growth of mouse hair in vitro and stimulate the proliferation of hair bulb cells; while those of the single traditional Chinese herb have no effect.