Scientists have now discovered a possible new cure for hereditary pattern baldness, a condition affecting millions worldwide, quite by serendipity. Scientists from the University of Sheffield and COMSATS University in Pakistan were studying the wound-healing action of the naturally occurring sugar, deoxyribose, a segment of DNA, when they stumbled on the surprise.
The team was originally looking into how deoxyribose might speed up wound healing in mice. They got an unexpected side effect: the fur around the treated wounds grew back at an enormously faster rate than in the untreated areas. The researchers were intrigued by this and decided to further investigate this phenomenon.
In the study, testosterone-induced hair loss male mice had their backs shaved and were treated daily with a deoxyribose sugar gel. Within weeks, robust regrowth was observed in the areas where treatment was applied, with long, thick hairs sprouting. As amazing as this may sound, the deoxyribose gel turned out to be as potent as minoxidil, which is widely known by its brand name Rogaine as the topical treatment against hair loss.
“Our research suggests that the answer to hair loss could be as simple as using a naturally occurring deoxyribose sugar to increase the blood supply to the hair follicles and promote hair growth,” said Sheila MacNeil, a tissue engineer at the University of Sheffield.
Hereditary-pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia, using genetics, hormone levels, and aging is influencing up to 40 percent of the population. Yet, just two drugs have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its treatment: minoxidil and finasteride. Minoxidil does have the effect of slowing hair loss and probably promoting some regrowth, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Finasteride, an oral medication, is not approved for female patients, and severe side effects include erectile dysfunction and depression.
“The treatment of androgenetic alopecia remains challenging,” said MacNeil and her colleagues, led by biomaterial researcher Muhammad Anjum from COMSATS. Their paper describes a biodegradable, non-toxic gel developed from deoxyribose and tests it in mouse models of male-pattern baldness. Results were promising: both minoxidil and the sugar gel promoted 80 to 90 percent hair regrowth. Combining the treatments didn’t yield additional benefits.
Photographs taken during the 20-day trial demonstrated the efficacy of the deoxyribose gel. Researchers note that there was an increase in blood vessels and skin cells around the areas that were treated, and they consider this to be part of what caused an enhancement in hair growth. “The better the blood supply to the hair bulb, the larger its diameter and the more hair growth,” explained the researchers.
If it works in humans, deoxyribose gel could be the cure for alopecia and may even prompt hair, lash, and eyebrow regrowth following chemotherapy. “This is a badly under-researched area, and hence new approaches are needed,” the authors argued.
While the current experiments were limited to male mice, future research could still reveal the ability of these natural sugars to also benefit female mice experiencing testosterone-driven alopecia. “The research we have done is very much early stage,” MacNeil conceded, “but the results are promising and warrant further investigation.”