{"id":42980,"date":"2026-04-06T15:58:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T15:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=42980"},"modified":"2026-04-06T15:58:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T15:58:25","slug":"ancient-chinese-hair-blackening-herb-may-fight-balding-naturally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=42980","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Chinese &#8216;hair blackening&#8217; herb may fight balding naturally"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Mane justice.<\/p>\n<p>For <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/30\/health\/popular-hair-trend-can-lead-to-thinning-and-graying-experts\/\">sufferers of hair loss<\/a>, patience for the two most commonly <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/16\/health\/triple-threat-fights-hair-loss-better-than-finasteride-and-minoxidil\/\">prescribed pharmaceuticals<\/a> \u2014 and their well-documented side effects \u2014 is wearing thin.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2707368825000627?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new research<\/a> points to old wisdom for how to treat a thinning a hairline, offering a gentler and more natural alternative to the pills and foams stocked in the medicine cabinets of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dermatoljournal.com\/articles\/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-androgenetic-alopecia-clinical-trials-in-the-united-states.html#:~:text=among%20AGA%20patients.-,Androgenetic%20alopecia%20(AGA)%20is%20the%20most%20common%20type%20of%20hair,(US)1%2C2.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50 million men and 30 million women<\/a> who experience androgenic alopecia (AGA) in the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39003888\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<figcaption>In the US, an estimated 30 million women and 50 million men experience some form of androgenic alopecia, the most common type of hair loss worldwide. <span class=\"credit\">Pixel-Shot \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The study sheds light on the efficacy of polygoni multiflori radix (PMT), also known as the \u201ctuber fleeceflower,\u201d a dried root tuber that has been used to treat hair loss and early graying for thousands of years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The promotion of hair growth is just one of its many purported benefits, which also include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, brain and heart health benefits and even \u201canti-cancer effects,\u201d according to the study\u2019s authors.<\/p>\n<p>They combed through medical diaries dating back to the year 813, during the Tang Dynasty, to understand how PMT has been administered throughout the ages, and to better inform a modern approach to harnessing the healing properties of the herb.<\/p>\n<p>Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) relies on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uclahealth.org\/news\/article\/traditional-chinese-medicine-basics-and-how-they-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">balancing principles of yin-yang and qi<\/a>, and attributes different ailments to specific imbalances in the body.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Hair health, according to TCM, is \u201cclosely linked to the liver and kidneys, with common etiological patterns for hair loss including blood heat with wind-dryness, damp-heat in the spleen and stomach, and liver-kidney yin deficiency,\u201d the authors wrote.<\/p>\n<p>PMT is thought to \u201ctonify\u201d the liver and kidneys, \u201cnourish\u201d blood and \u201cdispel\u201d wind, which explain its long history of being prescribed to fortify the roots of hair, stop premature graying and halt hair loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese applications align most closely with the TCM pattern of \u2018liver-kidney deficiency,\u2019 which shares phenotypic similarities with AGA,\u201d they wrote. \u201cMoreover, by improving blood circulation and scalp condition, PMT may also benefit cases associated with blood heat and wind-dryness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The most common type of hair loss worldwide, AGA today is most frequently treated with one or both of two pharmaceuticals: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/medical-answers\/you-finasteride-minoxidil-together-safely-3580265\/#:~:text=Combining%20finasteride%20(Propecia)%20and%20minoxidil,%2D80%25%20for%20single%20treatments.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Finasteride (also known as Propecia) and minoxidil<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Finasteride pills block a specific enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, the hormone that causes hair follicles to shrink and stop producing hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39003890\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"39003890\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu) on traditional Chinese medical texts, with a silver pestle and a cup of herbal tea in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-39003890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 6000w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=300,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=768,512&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=1024,683&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=1536,1024&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=2048,1365&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=600,400&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=878,585&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 878w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=744,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 744w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=720,480&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 720w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=576,384&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=457,305&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 457w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=440,293&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=424,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 424w, 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https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=260,174&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 260w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=246,164&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 246w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=234,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 234w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=195,130&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 195w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=180,120&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=171,114&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 171w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=160,107&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 160w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=144,96&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 144w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=107,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 107w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=93,62&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 93w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=84,56&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 84w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=60,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 60w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=105,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 105w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=81,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 81w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=200,133&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=231,154&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=322,215&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=662,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=90,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 90w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=120,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 120w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=1200,800&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=1038,692&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1038w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=87,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=50,33&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/125107630.jpg?resize=150,100&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 885px) 100vw, 885px\"\/><figcaption>Available pharmaceuticals that treat hair loss come with nasty side effects like sexual dysfunction and scalp irritation. But PMT, an herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, could be an equally effective but gentler alternative. <span class=\"credit\">zhenya \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Minoxidil, which comes in oral and topical form, was designed to increase blood flow to the follicles and eventually promote thicker, stronger hair growth.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n\t<\/aside>\n<p>While plenty of online blogs and social posts claim Gen Z is losing its hair faster than previous generations \u2014 citing culprits in everything from poor mental health and stress to prolonged screen time \u2014 the data doesn\u2019t explicitly appear to bear that out.<\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/minoxidil-5-2-strategic-research-121500933.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADEP4nzmDJRtZlw7myG73ztUKiJUfgkRn8jxEn0jHyzwfU25HhJUMNKAtHkNeiZ_Fzz-HXWxqy0lHuLgV2YZ9_-EOXJoPnbJvjO8PpBFJ_0ZtX05LOqzZ0BqFhqWOnVqgBaTGXFtqKHzGKL_b_dK2maeVvGAbKzJdmEq4v3rlGnx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">market reports show<\/a> that Minoxidil sales are projected to keep climbing thanks to direct-to-consumer drug platforms like Hims and Hers, as well as \u201cthe rising prevalence of stress-induced hair loss and lifestyle changes, such as exposure to pollution and unhealthy diets,\u201d further amplifying the demand, per Yahoo! Finance.<\/p>\n<p>Gen Z is stressed about its hair and looking for answers. But the existing medical interventions come with some <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/06\/23\/health\/which-hair-loss-remedies-actually-work-and-side-effects-to-look-out-for\/\">less-than-desirable side effects<\/a>, like sexual dysfunction, mood changes, scalp irritation and unwanted hair growth elsewhere on the body, among other things.<\/p>\n<p>PMT \u2014 which takes a more holistic approach, regulating hormones and improving circulation \u2014 offers something different:\u00a0A \u201cmore favorable safety profile\u201d that also supports hair regeneration, not just delayed hair loss.<\/p>\n<p>One of the study\u2019s lead authors, Bixian Han, said the team\u2019s analysis \u201cbridges ancient wisdom and modern science.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat surprised us was how consistently historical texts \u2014 from the Tang Dynasty onward \u2014 described effects that align perfectly with today\u2019s understanding of hair biology,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2026\/02\/260208233839.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Han added<\/a>. \u201cModern studies now confirm that this isn\u2019t folklore; it\u2019s pharmacology.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/06\/health\/ancient-chinese-hair-blackening-herb-may-fight-balding-naturally\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mane justice. For sufferers of hair loss, patience for the two most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals \u2014 and their well-documented side effects \u2014 is wearing thin. But&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}