Changes
/* Major players */
[[Image:Active.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Active Assignees]]
== Treatment Approaches==
Composition of treatment for causes are identified and categorized as follows:
* Anti-androgens (Finasteride) [http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic21.htm source]
* Vasodilators (Minoxidil) [http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic21.htm source]
* Double action (Anti-androgen + Vasodilator)
* Hair matrix cells activator
{|border="1" cellpadding="2", style="#008080" align="center"
|- style="font-weight:bold" valign="top"
! Cause !! Treatment approach !! Pathways affected
|- valign="top"
| Hormonal effect of androgen || Anti-androgens || Testosterone pathway
|- valign="top"
| Reduction of blood circulation around hair follicle || Vasodilators (eg. Minoxidil) || NO/cGMP Pathway
|- valign="top"
| Deactivation of hair matrix cells || Hair matrix cells activator
|
* Wnt pathway
* STAT pathway
* TGF beta/BMP Pathway
* FGF Pathway
* MAPK Pathway
* NOTCH Pathway
* Hedgehog Pathway
|}
=== Anti-androgens ===
* Anti-androgens are used in hormone therapy.
* Anti-androgens are designed to affect the hormones made in the adrenal glands. They don't stop the hormones from being made, but they stop them from having an effect leading to hair loss.
'''What causes hair loss?'''
* Testosterone is reduced to its active metabolite, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the enzyme 5 alpha reductase.
* DHT attaches to androgen receptor sites at the hair follicle.
* DHT causes gradual miniaturization of the follicle, which eventually results in hair loss.
'''How do anti-androgens treat hair loss?'''
* Anti-androgens compete with DHT to bind to the androgen receptor.
* Upon binding of anti-androgen in place of DHT, follicle miniaturization is lowered and hair loss prevented.
==== Functions of Anti-androgen ====
[http://www.revivogen.com/revivogen/work.html Anti-androgen]
[[Image:Andogen1.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Functions of Anti-androgen]]
==== IP Map for anti-androgen ====
{| border="1" cellpadding="0", style="#008080"
!width="120" bgcolor=DodgerBlue|'''Pat/Pub#'''
!width="100" bgcolor=DodgerBlue|'''Nature'''
!width="450" bgcolor=DodgerBlue|'''Composition'''
!width="400" bgcolor=DodgerBlue|'''Composition action'''
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060009430%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060009430&RS=DN/20060009430 US20060009430]
BLOTECH (2004)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Natural extracts
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Palmetto berry extract (fatty acids & sterols), Pumpkin seed extract (Vitamins-B, alpha-linolenic acid, amino acids and phytosterols), Quercetin (Flavonoids) and Beta-sitosterol (Rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils and soybeans)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Fatty acids – Inhibit testosterone
Sterols - Mechanism of action unknown.
Quercetin results in cell growth cycle.
Beta-sitosterol reduce inflammation on scalp
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060009427%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060009427&RS=DN/20060009427 US20060009427]
WARNER LAMBERT(2004)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Organic compound
|bgcolor=LightCyan|New class of 4-cycloalkoxy benzonitrile derivatives and salts
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Acts as androgen receptor modulator and blocks formation of DHT.
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220050085467%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20050085467&RS=DN/20050085467 US20050085467]
WARNER LAMBERT(2004)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Organic compound
|bgcolor=LightCyan|New class of 6-sulfonamido-quinolin-2-one and 6-sulfonamido-2-oxo-chromene derivatives.
|bgcolor=LightCyan|The compounds inhibit, or decrease, activation of androgen receptor by androgens.
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220050118282%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20050118282&RS=DN/20050118282 US20050118282]
APHIOS Corp (2003)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Natural extracts
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Supercritical fluid isolate of Saw Palmetto and Sperol (Serenoa repens berry) and their analogs or derivatives.
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Modulates androgenic activity by inhibiting 5.alpha.-reductase activity.
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060009429%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060009429&RS=DN/20060009429 US20060009429]
Fundacion Pablo Cassara (2003)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Nucleotide
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Pharmacologically active oligonucleotides (encompass both DNA and S-DNA bond)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Oligonucleotides inhibit androgen receptor (AR) expression at very low concentrations in skin and hair follicle
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030007941%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030007941&RS=DN/20030007941 US20030007941]
PFIZER INC (2001)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Organic compound
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Thyromimetic compounds (structurally similar to thyronine) with finasteride, or cyproterone acetate
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Activates thyroid hormone receptors in hair follicle which in turn promote elasticisation of follicle walls and hair follicle
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030073616%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030073616&RS=DN/20030073616 US20030073616]
N/A (1995)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Peptides/nucleic acid
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Bradykinin antagonist (peptide of plasma origin from kininogen precursor-kallikrein)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Inhibits synthesis of bradykinin receptors or compounds by binding to B2 receptor
|- style="height:20px"
|bgcolor=LightCyan|[http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP0279010&F=0 EP0279010]
KAO Corp (1987)
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Natural extracts
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Walnut extract (leaves/pericarps) with an organic solvent
|bgcolor=LightCyan|Blocks formation of DHT
|}
=== Minoxidil (Vasodilators) ===
* Minoxidil is a "potassium channel opener" that leads to vasodilation.
* The drug is available in two forms. Oral minoxidil is used to treat high blood pressure and the topical solution form is used to treat hair loss and baldness.
'''What causes hair loss?'''
* A thick network of tiny veins and arteries line the outer wall of the follicle. Blood pumps through the bulb and hair via this network.
* DHT accumulates in the hair follicles and roots, constricting the blood supply of oxygen and nutrients to the hair roots; which is also seen to possibly contribute towards hair loss.
'''How does Minoxidil treat hair loss?'''
* Minoxidil is applied to the scalp topically, where it dilates blood vessels in the scalp and sustains the hair follicles for longer period of time.
* Minoxidil is thought to have a direct mitogenic effect on epidermal cells, as has been observed both in vitro and in vivo. Though the mechanism of its action for causing cell proliferation is not very clear, minoxidil is thought to prevent intracellular calcium entry. Calcium normally enhances epidermal growth factors to inhibit hair growth, and Minoxidil by getting converted to minoxidil sulfate acts as a potassium channel agonist and enhances potassium ion permeability to prevent calcium ions from entering into cells. ([http://www.hairtransplantadvice.com/medical-hair-restoration.php Source])
* Minoxidil sulfate (MS) appears to be the active metabolite responsible for hair growth stimulation.
