Minoxidil May Be a Partial Agonist of Estrogen Receptor Alpha

    April 2026 in “ microPublication ”
    Reem Elzaghir, Kailah C. Collins, Alaa Abdulshafi, Mostafa Ismail, Nora Asleh, Maya Saeed, Diego E. Galarza-Ramirez, Eduardo Valladares, Ashlee Lewis, Samantha Mena, Antonina Pizzo, Antonela Shyti, Nicole A. Najor, Marwa K. Abdel Latif, Mara R. Livezey
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    TLDR Minoxidil might partially activate estrogen receptors, affecting hair growth.
    This study suggests that Minoxidil (MX), a common treatment for androgenetic alopecia, may act as a partial agonist of Estrogen Receptor α (ERα). Through experiments with estrogen-dependent cell lines and computational docking, MX was found to stimulate cell proliferation, which was inhibited by 4-hydroxytamoxifen, indicating its binding to ERα. These findings propose a novel mechanism for MX's effects on hair growth, potentially expanding its known anti-androgenic role in treating hair loss. However, the precise mechanism and extent of its agonist activity remain unclear.
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