Publication:

Hair growth efficacy and safety assessment of an ayurvedic leave-on treatment: a clinical trial

Background This clinical study was undertaken to assess the safety, efficacy of an Ayurvedic leave-on treatment for hair loss in healthy Indian adults (both male and female). The study also aimed to elucidate the product’s mechanism of action through in vitro analyses.

Methods Healthy male and female volunteers experiencing hair loss and hair thinning were enrolled for clinical study. Subjects were screened based on predefined criteria, including specific hair density and thinning parameters, and the absence of underlying medical conditions that could contribute to hair loss. The study design included a washout period prior to treatment initiation. The treatment phase lasted for three months, during which participants applied the product regularly and visited the study center at scheduled intervals for follow-up assessments and measurements. An in vitro study was conducted using human dermal papilla cells to investigate the mechanism of action (MoA) of the Ayurvedic leave-on treatment.

Results The Ayurvedic leave-on treatment demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing hair fall and improving hair density in both male and female subjects compared to baseline measurements. Noticeable improvements observed in increase in hair density, reduction in hair fall and over all hair and scalp health from the second week of application and continued throughout the treatment period.

Conclusion The Ayurvedic leave-on formulation demonstrated a clinically significant increase in hair density and improvement in the anagen: telogen ratio, indicating reduced hair fall and normalization of the hair cycle. This is mechanistically supported by the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in dermal papilla cells, promoting follicular angiogenesis.