Food-related botanical Cacumen Platycladi alleviates androgenetic alopecia through activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

BACKGROUND

Cacumen Platycladi (CP), the dried twigs and leaves of Platycladus orientalis, is a food-related botanical with potential hair health-promoting activity. However, the principal bioactive constituent responsible for its anti-alopecia effect and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the key anti-alopecia constituent of CP and investigate its mechanism of action against androgenetic alopecia.

RESULTS

Six major candidate compounds were identified from CP by fractionated extraction, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and network pharmacology analysis. Among them, amentoflavone showed the strongest anti-alopecia activity. In a testosterone-induced mouse model, amentoflavone increased mean hair length by 1.10-fold and hair density by 1.33-fold versus the model group, improved follicular morphology, reduced the proportion of vellus hair by 50.8%, and regulated serum hormone levels. Western blot analysis further showed that amentoflavone increased β-catenin and cyclin D1 expression while decreasing GSK-3β expression.

CONCLUSION

Amentoflavone was identified as the principal anti-alopecia constituent of CP. Its beneficial effect was associated with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that CP is a promising source of functional bioactive compounds for hair health-related applications. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.