Dendrobium officinale Polysaccharide (DOP) Promotes Hair Regrowth in Testosterone-Induced Bald Mice

Androgenetic alopecia can affect up to 70% of males and 40% of females; however, certain therapeutic medications offer partial and transitory improvement but with major side effects. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) has been reported to improve androgen-related hair loss in mice, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear.

To explore the effects of DOP on androgenetic alopecia.

In this study, testosterone was subcutaneously administered to shave dorsa skin of mice to establish androgenetic alopecia; the effects of DOP in androgenetic alopecia were explored by DOP administration.

Testosterone treatment extended the time of skin growing dark and hair growing, decreased the mean numbers of follicles in skin tissues, decreased β-catenin and cyclin D1 levels, and elevated testosterone, DHT (dihydrotestosterone), and 5α-reductase levels. In contrast, DOP administration shortened skin growing dark and hair growing times, promoted follicle cell proliferation, increased follicle numbers, increased β-catenin and cyclin D1 levels, and decreased testosterone, DHT, and 5α-reductase levels.

DOP application significantly improved testosterone-induced hair follicle miniaturization and hair loss, possibly through affecting the Wnt signaling and hair follicle stem cell functions.

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