Effect of topical minoxidil solution in promoting hair growth in male mice

Abstract

The present study was designed to asses the efficacy of topical minoxidil solution in promoting hair growth in mouse model . This study aimed at finding the more efficacious drug for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia since the available regimens have many limitations. Alopecia or Hair loss is the absence or thinness of the hair . Androgenetic alopecia is commonly referred as male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss in genetically susceptible men and women . 45 albino-Webster male mice were included in this study , they were divided randomly into two groups, each one included 15 mice . One day before starting the experiment the dorsal skin of each mouse was shaved by an electric shaver , then stained by using commercial dye and then the animals were photographed . group No. 1 was considered as control group . It included mice which did not get any treatment . Group No. 2 received topical minoxidil solution 5% . At the end of treatment ( 21 day), the animals were photographed to asses the degree of hair growth , it was carried out by means of special computer program called Photoshop-visual basic-8 program , this program found the ratio of area showing hair regrowth to the ratio of area denuded of hair . Histological sections were obtained from each mouse to asses the effect of drugs on the number and diameter of hair follicles. The results of this study showed that significant hair growth ( P-Value <0.05) occurred with topical minoxidil solution as compared to the control group , insignificant increase in the number of hair follicles as compared to the control group, significant increase in diameter of hair follicles as compared to the control group . From the results of this study , we concluded that topical minoxidil solution can promote hair growth efficiently and can increase the diameter of hair follicles . Also in the present study the concentration of the following hormones were measured after 21 day treatment with topical cyproterone acetate . These hormones are ( 17β-Estradiol , Free Testosterone and Progesterone ). The results showed that there was no significant difference in concentration of these hormones among control and treatment groups after 21 day treatment, they are all within the normal range