Herbal Medicines For Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia.

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