Luteolin, a flavonoid found abundantly in plants such as parsley and celery, may hold potential in minimizing hair graying, according to a recent study conducted by Masashi Kato, MD, PhD. The study, which involved both mice and human cells, demonstrated that treatments with luteolin helped reduce the graying of hair. However, the applicability of these findings to humans remains uncertain due to biological differences between species. Luteolin's role as an antioxidant and its anti-inflammatory properties offer promising avenues for future research into age-related changes.
Dr. Masashi Kato's research revealed that luteolin could decrease the transcript expression levels of an aging marker while increasing the levels of endothelin-1, a peptide known to have various physiological roles. Despite its promising results in mice, the study did not provide a clear explanation for why luteolin was effective while similar compounds, hesperetin and diosmetin, showed no significant impact.
“We have found a drug candidate to prevent hair graying, which is often considered a negative symbol of aging. This study demonstrated that luteolin, a natural antioxidant, can suppress hair graying in model mice. Our findings suggest that luteolin could be a viable candidate for developing therapeutic interventions aimed at maintaining original hair color.” — Masashi Kato, MD, PhD
The presence of luteolin in many plant foods adds to its potential as a dietary supplement for humans. Karen Z. Berg, MS, RD, CSO, CDN, emphasized the importance of obtaining luteolin through foods rather than supplements or powders due to varying densities depending on how produce is grown.
“Luteolin is an antioxidant found in many plant foods that has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Radicchio has the highest amount of luteolin, followed by many green peppers, including sweet green peppers, hot peppers, serrano peppers and jalapeno peppers. Artichokes, pumpkin, and celery also have luteolin.” — Karen Z. Berg, MS, RD, CSO, CDN
However, the use of luteolin is not without challenges. T.C. Theoharides, PhD, MD, noted potential issues regarding its yellow color, which could pose cosmetic concerns if used in human treatments.
“There are issues with using these compounds, and the most important one is that luteolin is yellow. So, on a mouse you might be able to put as much as you want. On a human, it will be a little tricky.” — T.C. Theoharides, PhD, MD
Moving forward, Dr. Theoharides highlighted the necessity for further research to develop a preparation of luteolin that does not have color and can effectively reach target areas in humans.
“Following up on this paper is worthwhile if someone has the funding to do it…I would not necessarily jump into clinical study. I would want to assess and get a better model that best reflects humans…[Next] Come up with a better preparation of luteolin, as I said, that doesn’t have color and is more likely to reach where you want it to reach.” — T.C. Theoharides, PhD, MD
The study also acknowledged competing financial interests among its authors that could have influenced the results. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting these findings and considering their implications for human applications.
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