Ellagic acid (a polyphenol from peony extract) reversed hair loss in mice by blocking DHT-induced damage to hair-producing cells. It reduced iron buildup and lipid damage in those cells while activating a specific growth pathway (Wnt/β-catenin), suggesting it could be a potential treatment for androgenic alopecia.

Researchers tested ellagic acid on male mice with DHT-induced hair loss and on human hair follicle cells in the lab, using imaging, protein analysis, and molecular modeling to track how it worked.

Funding not disclosed in abstract