Claudia Villalobos
In addition to serving as a natural protector of the scalp, hair is an element that has a significant psychological impact on humans. Over time, it has been considered a symbol of beauty, personality, and even power. Therefore, the absence of hair can affect people's self-esteem. While it is true that the population turns to multiple remedies or treatments to prevent or reverse hair loss, it is also a fact that most of these alternatives are not effective or have side effects.
Faced with this situation, a group of scientists from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), led by Dr. David Guillermo Pérez Ishiwara, leveraged their expertise in the field of biotechnology and used nanotechnology to create a formulation that treats androgenetic alopecia and promotes hair growth.
The head of the research project conducted at the Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación (SEPI) of the Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía (ENMH) emphasized that "far from being a miracle product with marketing behind it, seeking to profit from a population's need, the formulation developed is based on processes and studies with the required scientific rigor."
The project is part of the doctoral thesis of Master of Science Salvador Pérez Mora, who explained that there are different types of alopecia. "Androgenetic alopecia, which is the most common in the world (95 percent), also known as common baldness, is characterized by the progressive loss of hair, which is not exclusive to males but also occurs, albeit less frequently, in women."
This alopecia is due to the action of androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone), present in both men and women on hair follicles, which progressively shrink. Due to this, the treatment's effectiveness varies from one person to another. However, other factors such as exposure to the sun (UV rays), pollution, and poor nutrition contribute to hair fragility.
Dr. Pérez Ishiwara emphasized that another important factor related to hair loss is psychological and social stress, which increases the production of free radicals and contributes to hair loss.
Currently, there are two FDA-approved treatments for androgenetic alopecia: minoxidil, which is applied topically to the scalp and, although it stimulates hair growth, has the disadvantage of maintaining its effect only if used continuously, as the results reverse when the application is discontinued, in addition to causing irritation, itching, and, in some extreme cases, cardiac arrhythmias.
Finasteride is an oral antiandrogenic medication that has shown some effectiveness but can lead to sexual impotence, decreased libido, and infertility. In pregnant women, it can have teratogenic effects (fetal or embryonic death, growth retardation, and distinctive malformation patterns).
Dr. Pérez Ishiwara explained that these drugs modify two molecular pathways. On the one hand, minoxidil promotes vascularization and, as a result, induces hair growth, while finasteride blocks the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which modulates the physiological levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), thereby preventing hair loss.
The research results were published in a prestigious international scientific journal. Available at https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12110
"Some doctors combine both products to make the treatment more efficient, but they overlook a key point: mitigating oxidative stress induced by free radicals. To achieve a comprehensive and safe treatment, the polytechnic formulation targets the pathways that alter the dynamics of hair growth and reduces oxidative stress," warned the expert affiliated with the National System of Researchers (SNII), level II.
To obtain a high-quality product, the Polytechnic researchers cultivate the medicinal plant Bacopa procumbens, commonly known as water hyssop, in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. Once it reaches the required size, it is harvested, and the process begins, which involves extracting various molecules with specific biological activity. These molecules are then combined with gold nanoparticles and supplemented with a vitamin. When the nanostructured bioactive is obtained, it is incorporated into a vehicle made from natural waxes, resulting in a dermatological-grade formulation with rapid absorption.
Androgenetic alopecia has a hereditary component, which represents an imbalance in the hair growth cycle that IPN experts aim to balance with the product based on plant metabolites, thus delaying the onset of this genetic manifestation.
"This type of development is an example of how it is possible to enhance a plant's natural biological activity through nanotechnology and reduce treatment times without generating side effects," explained the specialist from the Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía.
So far, the in vivo experimental phase with C57BL/6 mice has shown promising results. Master Pérez Mora reported that, to conduct the comparative study, they formed three groups of rodents, shaving their backs and heads. The first group was treated with the formulation without the bioactive, the second was treated with minoxidil, and the last group was administered the polytechnic product with nanostructured bioactive compounds from Bacopa procumbens.
Ten days into the experiment, the skin pigmentation of the rodents that received the polytechnic product was over 30 percent higher than the group treated with minoxidil, while this condition was incipient in the untreated animals.
Regarding the other two groups, the hair growth of the mice that received the IPN formulation was more uniform and abundant by day 15. After 21 days, the hair covering on the heads and backs of the bioactive-treated animals exceeded that of the mice stimulated with minoxidil and those with no treatment. In addition, they conducted histological studies in which they confirmed that, in a shorter time than the other two groups, there was a greater proliferation of hair follicles in the mice treated with the polytechnic formulation.
To confirm the effects of the formulation, it will soon enter the clinical phase. To facilitate application, the presentation will be modified. In this way, the kit is expected to include a hair lotion, applied after massaging the scalp with a small roller equipped with micro-needles to stimulate the scalp and promote product penetration.
Based on the preclinical stage results, ENMH researchers estimate that the treatment duration could be reduced by 40 percent compared to conventional treatments. Depending on each individual's personal situation, results may be seen within a period ranging from 3 to 8 months.
The formulation for androgenetic alopecia is part of the doctoral thesis of Master of Science Salvador Pérez Mora (left)
To prolong the treatment's effect, the group of researchers is already working on a maintenance shampoo formulation enriched with antioxidants from the plant, aiming to keep the level of reactive oxygen species low.
Currently, specialists are in talks with two pharmaceutical companies, and it is likely that in the near future, this product derived from water hyssop will be introduced to the market as an alternative to improve the quality of life for people with androgenetic alopecia.
Dr. Pérez Ishiwara emphasized that the la Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía is the hub for medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology in the Polytechnic's biotechnology doctoral program. This postgraduate program trains specialists in a scientific and rigorous environment who, through technological innovation, can generate patents and products to provide solutions for diseases or medical conditions with a high social impact, which affect the well-being of the population.
In addition to protecting the scalp from temperature changes, ultraviolet rays, blows, and friction, and contributing to improving body temperature, hair is an element with a high psychological impact on humans.
Selección Gaceta Politécnica #166. (September 30th, 2023). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here
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