{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T18:07:15Z","timestamp":1783706835328,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,7]],"date-time":"2021-12-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1638835200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pharmacol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>The screening of hair follicles, dermal papilla cells, and keratinocytes through <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>, and histology has previously been reported to combat alopecia. <jats:italic>Ficus benghalensis<\/jats:italic> has been used conventionally to cure skin and hair disorders, although its effect on 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II is still unknown. Currently, we aim to analyze the phytotherapeutic impact of F. benghalensis leaf extracts (FBLEs) for promoting hair growth in rabbits along with <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> inhibition of the steroid isozyme 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II. The inhibition of 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II by FBLEs was assessed by RP-HPLC, using the NADPH cofactor as the reaction initiator and Minoxin (5%) as a positive control. <jats:italic>In silico<\/jats:italic> studies were performed using AutoDock Vina to visualize the interaction between 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II and the reported phytoconstituents present in FBLEs. Hair growth in female albino rabbits was investigated by applying an oral dose of the FBLE formulation and control drug to the skin once a day. The skin tissues were examined by histology to see hair follicles. Further, FAAS, FTIR, and antioxidants were performed to check the trace elements and secondary metabolites in the FBLEs. The results of RP-HPLC and the binding energies showed that FBLEs reduced the catalytic activity of 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II and improved cell proliferation in rabbits. The statistical analysis (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.05 or 0.01) and percentage inhibition (&amp;gt;70%) suggested that hydroalcoholic FBLE has more potential in increasing hair growth by elongating hair follicle\u2019s anagen phase. FAAS, FTIR, and antioxidant experiments revealed sufficient concentrations of Zn, Cu, K, and Fe, together with the presence of polyphenols and scavenging activity in FBLE. Overall, we found that FBLEs are potent in stimulating hair follicle maturation by reducing the 5<jats:italic>\u03b1<\/jats:italic>-reductase II action, so they may serve as a principal choice in <jats:italic>de novo<\/jats:italic> drug designing to treat hair loss.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2021.774583","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,7]],"date-time":"2021-12-07T13:28:05Z","timestamp":1638883685000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Ficus benghalensis as Potential Inhibitor of 5\u03b1-Reductase for Hair Growth Promotion: In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Evaluation"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Jawaria","family":"Iltaf","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sobia","family":"Noreen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammad Fayyaz ur","family":"Rehman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shazia Akram","family":"Ghumman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fozia","family":"Batool","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammad","family":"Mehdi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Hasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bushra","family":"Ijaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammad Safwan","family":"Akram","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haider","family":"Butt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15593258211004739","DOI":"10.1177\/15593258211004739","article-title":"Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Screening of Seriphidium Oliverianum Plant Extracts","volume":"19","author":"Abbas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Dose-response"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1016\/s0378-8741(03)00231-9","article-title":"In Vivo and In Vitro Evaluation of Hair Growth Potential of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Linn","volume":"88","author":"Adhirajan","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. 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