title: Blockade of Androgen Markers Using a Novel Betasitosterol, Thioctic Acid and Carnitine-containing Compound in Prostate and Hair Follicle Cell-based Assays.
abstract: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) affects approximately 70% of men and 40% of women in an age-dependent manner and is partially mediated by androgen hormones. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) similarly affects 50% of the male population, rising by 10% each decade. Finasteride inhibits 5-alpha reductase (5AR) and is used to treat both disorders, despite offering limited clinical benefits accompanied by significant adverse side effects. Building on our previous work demonstrating the efficacy of naturally derived 5AR inhibitors (such as stigmasterol and beta sitosterol), we hypothesize that targeting 5AR as well as inflammatory pathways may yield improved efficacy in AGA and BPH. Here we address these dual pathomechanisms by examining the potency of a novel composition using in vitro assays of representative cell lines for AGA (hair follicle dermal papilla cells) and BPH (LNCaP prostate cells), respectively. Exposure of cells to the novel test composition down-regulated mRNA expression profiles characteristic of both disease processes, which outperformed finasteride. Changes in mRNA expression were corroborated at the protein level as assessed by western blotting. These studies provide proof of concept that novel, naturally derived compositions simultaneously targeting 5AR and inflammatory mediators may represent a rational approach to treating AGA and BPH. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jiaolong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: R&D Department, Omega Tech Labs, Boise, ID, USA.
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mouser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Yan Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: R&D Department, Advanced Restoration Technologies Inc., Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Geno
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marcovici
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013261:Sterols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000728:Androgens; D013261:Sterols; D018120:Finasteride; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: 5-alpha reductase; androgenetic alopecia; botanicals; phytotherapy