title: t-Flavanone Improves the Male Pattern of Hair Loss by Enhancing Hair-Anchoring Strength: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  trans-3,4'-Dimethyl-3-hydroxyflavanone (t-flavanone) is a derivative of astilbin that actively stimulates hair growth. The aim of the present study was to identify the mechanisms of action of t-flavanone on hair growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind usage test was performed with healthy volunteers who had androgenic alopecia (AGA). The subjects were divided into three groups with equal average baldness. The members in each group applied a vasodilator-containing hair lotion supplemented with either 0, 0.1, or 0.3% (wt) t-flavanone twice a day for 30 weeks. The efficacy of t-flavanone was evaluated based on the parietal global and microscopic images. At week 30, the anchoring strength of hair was measured by the average peak force required for plucking out a single hair in a non-bald area using a digital force gauge. Desmoglein expression in the cultured human hair follicle was analyzed by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 30 weeks, t-flavanone significantly improved AGA and enhanced the hair-anchoring strength in a hair diameter-independent manner. Culture of human hair follicles in vitro with t-flavanone resulted in the upregulation of desmoglein protein expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that t-flavanone enhanced the cell-cell adhesions in hair follicles; thus, reinforcement of hair rooting may be a mechanism by which t-flavanone promotes hair growth.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Kao Corp.
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan. nagasawa.azumi@kao.co.jp.
authors.forename: Azumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wakisaka
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kidena
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotta
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.affiliation: R&D-Core Technology-Biological Science Research, Kao Corp., 2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi, Haga, Tochigi, 321-3497, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
keywords: Androgenic alopecia; Desmoglein; Hair anchoring strength; t-Flavanone