The first clinical trial of topical application of procyanidin B-2 to investigate its potential as a hair growing agent

Publication Date:
2001-06-01

Institutions involved:

Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., 2, Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0841, Japan
Development Department, Biochemicals Division, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., 1–6–1, Ohtemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100–8185, Japan
Watanabe Dermatological Clinic, 1–32–16, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160–0022, Japan

Participants:
30 male volunteers with male pattern baldness

Duration:
4 months

Dosage:
Application of 1% procyanidin B-2 tonic or a placebo twice daily

Key Takeaways:

Researchers in this clinical trial concluded: "Procyanidin B-2 therapy shows potential as a promising cure for male pattern baldness."

Subjects using procyanidin B-2 perceived positive results, with 63.2% reporting noticeable hair growth, significantly higher than placebo (20%).

The number of total hairs in the designated area after 4 months of procyanidin B-2 treatment significantly increased over the baseline figure for each subject.

Apple Poly Summary:

Why is this study important? This was the first clinical trial to evaluate the hair-regrowth potential of topically applied procyanidin B-2, a polyphenol derived from apples. Over four months, the treatment significantly increased hair count and thickness in men with male pattern baldness—without side effects—positioning procyanidin B-2 as a promising botanical alternative to conventional hair loss therapies.

In Plain English: Researchers tested a hair tonic made from a natural apple compound to see if it could help with hair loss. After four months, men who used it had more hairs and thicker strands compared to those who used a placebo. Remarkably, nearly 79% of treated subjects saw an increase in hair diameter, compared to only 30% in the placebo group. Additionally, 84.2% of participants using Procyanidin B-2 exhibited higher hair density. It worked without any side effects, suggesting this apple-based treatment might help with thinning hair.

For Medical Professionals: In this 4-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 29 men with androgenetic alopecia applied a 1% procyanidin B-2 topical solution twice daily. The treatment group showed statistically significant increases in total hair count (+3.67 ± 4.09 hairs/0.25 cm² vs. –2.54 ± 4.00 in placebo; p < 0.001), terminal hair count (>40 μm diameter), and mean hair diameter (p < 0.02). No adverse effects were reported. These findings support the safety and efficacy of procyanidin B-2 as a non-hormonal, polyphenol-based intervention for male pattern hair loss.

Abstract:

Procyanidin B-2 is a compound we have identified in apple which acts as a growth-promoting factor on murine hair epithelial cells. This report describes our investigation of the hair-growing effects of 1% procyanidin B-2 tonic after sequential use for 4 months.

A double-blind clinical trial was performed, involving a total of 29 subjects (procyanidin B-2, 19 men; placebo, 10 men). No adverse side effects were observed in either group. In the procyanidin B-2 group, 78.9% showed an increased mean value of hair diameter, whereas only 30.0% in the placebo group showed any increase (p < 0.02, Fisher’s exact probability test).

The increased ratio of hairs measuring more than 40 mm in diameter after 4 months of procyanidin B-2 treatment was significantly higher than that of the placebo controls (p < 0.05, two-sample t-test).

The increase in number of total hairs in the designated scalp area (0.25 cm2 ) of procyanidin B-2 subjects after a 4 month trial was significantly greater than that of the placebo controls (procyanidin B-2, 3.67 4.09 (mean SD)/0.25 cm 2 ; placebo, 2.54 4.00/0.25 cm2 ; p < 0.001, two-sample t-test). Procyanidin B-2 therapy shows potential as a promising cure for male pattern baldness.

©2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords: androgenetic alopecia; condensed tannin; external application; Malus pumila; proanthocyanidins; scalp.