By Priya Raman

A scientific review published in the Journal of Holistic Integrative Pharmacy (2025, vol. 6, issue 4, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhip.2025.12.005) argues that Polygonum multiflorum — a root used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 1,000 years — may act on androgenetic alopecia through at least four biological routes at once.

That's the detail worth your attention. Finasteride targets hormones. Minoxidil pushes growth at the scalp. This review says the herb may do both jobs and more: blunt dihydrotestosterone (DHT), protect follicle cells from early death, activate the Wnt and Shh regeneration pathways, and improve scalp blood flow.

Why does this matter for pattern hair loss?

AGA is the most common form of hair loss, affecting millions of men and women. Follicles shrink gradually under DHT's influence, producing thinner, shorter hairs until growth slows or stops. Current options help some clients but not all — and the side-effect profile is a real barrier:

• Finasteride: linked to sexual side effects that worry some patients
• Minoxidil: commonly associated with scalp irritation

For clients who've dropped off both protocols, a multi-target candidate is genuinely interesting news.

What did the researchers actually find?

The review, led by first author Han Bixian, pulls together laboratory research, clinical reports, and historical herbal records — including texts from the Tang Dynasty onward. The traditional claim, "blacken hair and nourish essence," maps surprisingly well onto modern hair biology.

"Our analysis bridges ancient wisdom and modern science," Han said. "What surprised us was how consistently historical texts — from the Tang Dynasty onward — described effects that align perfectly with today's understanding of hair biology. Modern studies now confirm that this isn't folklore; it's pharmacology."

The mechanism picture matters as much as the headline. The Wnt and Shh pathways control how cells grow, communicate, and repair tissue — in follicles, they drive the shift from resting (telogen) into active growth. Stronger signaling makes follicles more likely to reenter a growth state. That's a regrowth argument, not just a preservation one, which separates it from treatments designed mainly to slow thinning.

Does safety hold up?

Only with proper preparation, the review stresses. In traditional Chinese medicine, the root is processed before use, and that step affects both safety and biological activity.

"When properly processed — a key step in traditional preparation — the herb shows a favorable safety profile, making it more acceptable to patients wary of side effects like sexual dysfunction or scalp irritation linked to current medications," the article highlights.

Fair warning for anyone tempted to self-source: the researchers don't endorse self-treatment. Natural doesn't mean risk-free — compounds vary with preparation, dose, and product quality.

What's still missing?

Large, well-designed human trials. Most of the current support comes from lab studies, historical records, and limited clinical observations. Nobody has confirmed efficacy or safety across broad patient groups yet.

The bottom line: a millennium-old root won't replace finasteride or minoxidil tomorrow, but it could guide the next generation of multi-mechanism regrowth therapies.