Ellagic acid, a compound found in peony extract, helped regrow hair in mice by blocking a type of cell damage (ferroptosis) caused by DHT, the hormone behind male pattern baldness. The ingredient worked by activating a specific cellular pathway called Wnt/β-catenin, and also reduced iron buildup and oxidative stress in hair follicles.

Researchers tested ellagic acid on mice with DHT-induced hair loss and on human hair follicle cells in a lab. They used multiple lab techniques including microscopy and genetic analysis to track how the compound affected cellular damage and hair regrowth.

Funding not disclosed in abstract