Hair Redevelopment And Regrowth With Generic Minoxidil

Generic Minoxidil is an oral potent peripheral vasodilator used originally for refractory hypertension. Systemic or oral minoxidil was found to cause hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) as a side effect in numerous male and female subjects, which ranged from 30% to 100% in various reports. Hair growth has been eminent on the temples and sideburn areas, between the eyebrows, and on the back, arms, legs, and scalp. Though the hair growth in hypertensive patients is a side-effect, oral minoxidil has shown to resolve androgenic alopecia. However, use of oral minoxidil in alopecia areata patients has been highly debatable. Because of the unwanted hypertrichosis and other side effects (including tachycardia and sodium and fluid retention) induced by generic minoxidil, the local topical minoxidil was investigated for hair regeneration. In the present study, the efficacy and safety of topical minoxidil for the stimulation of scalp hair growth in patients with either androgenic alopecia or alopecia areata was evaluated.

Objectives of study

• To evaluate local and systemic tolerance of 1% and 5% generic minoxidil

• To access the pharmacological efficacy of generic 5% minoxidil in early androgenic alopecia

• To establish a correlation between the hair growth response in androgenic alopecia with the blood minoxidil levels

• To evaluate the efficacy of 1% and 5% generic minoxidil in alopecia areata.

Method

To determine the efficacy and safety of 1% or 5% generic minoxidil for the activation of scalp hair regrowth, 15 subjects with normal blood pressure, 5 with androgenic alopecia and 10 with clinically diagnosed alopecia areata by biopsy for 12 months were evaluated.

Results

Hair regrowth, ranging from minimally observable hair to an appreciable restoration of larger, pigmented, terminal hair was noted in three out of five androgenic alopecia patients using 5% minoxidil for 12 months. Among the androgenetic alopecia patients, regrowth response was correlated to the serum minoxidil blood levels. None of the alopecia areata patients receiving either 1% or 5% minoxidil observed hair regrowth despite of the comparable and correlated minoxidil blood levels. Enhanced local absorption of generic minoxidil solution can promote hair regrowth in androgenic alopecia. No changes in blood pressure throughout the year-long trial were detected and this was predictable since oral administration of minoxidil does not lower the blood pressure in patients with normal blood pressure.

Furthermore, topical treatment was well tolerated by all of the patients.

Conclusion

Generic minoxidil might have potential for use in resolving androgenic alopecia. The efficacy of this drug may be improved by increasing its local absorption, possibly by using other vehicles or delivery systems. Continuing studies with larger patient populations can reveal more details pertaining to the efficacy of generic minoxidil in patients with alopecia and can moreover demonstrate the role of the serum Minoxidil level during generic minoxidil therapy.