研究發現 人造檀香或能治療脫髮

A chemical designed to mimic the smell of sandalwood has the power to stimulate hair growth in humans, according to a new study.

一項新研究顯示，一種用於模仿檀香氣味的化學物質具有刺激人類頭髮生長的能力。

Though the research was undertaken using scalp tissue in a laboratory, the scientists behind the discovery say they could be on the cusp of effectively treating hair loss.

雖然這項研究是在實驗室中利用頭皮組織進行的，但發現該功能的科學家稱，他們或許正處在有效治療脫髮的邊緣。

As trials are already underway to assess how this product performs in human volunteers, the team say they are "not far" from making the transition from the lab to the baldness clinic.

由於目前已展開測試以評估這種產品在人類志願者中的效用，研究小組稱，距離實現該療法從實驗室試驗過渡到謝頂診所應用已經“不遠”了。

"This is actually a rather amazing finding," said Ralf Paus, a scientist at the University of Manchester who led the research.

領導這項研究的曼徹斯特大學教授拉爾夫·波斯表示：“這其實是一項非常驚人的發現。”

"This is the first time ever it has been shown the remodeling of a normal human mini-organ (a hair) can be regulated by a simple, cosmetically widely-used odorant."

“這是首次有研究表明，對人類正常微型器官（頭髮）的改造可以由一種簡單的、廣泛用於化妝品的香味劑來調節。”

To achieve these results, the scientists tapped into an ancient chemical pathway found in hair follicles that allowed them to both slow down the death of these precious structures and promote their growth.

研究中，科學家利用了在毛囊中發現的一種古老的化學反應機制，這種機制令他們既能減緩毛髮的死亡速度，又能促進其生長。

They did this using an unlikely substance known as Sandalore, a chemical produced to recreate the smell of sandalwood, which is often used to make perfumes and soaps.

他們利用一種人造檀香來實現這一點。人造檀香是一種能夠產生類似檀香的氣味的化學物質，經常被用於製作香水和肥皂。

Smell is a sensation triggered when molecules of "odorant" chemicals are recognised by special cells in the nose, but the processes underpinning this phenomenon are not confined to the nasal passages.

鼻子能夠聞到某種氣味，是指鼻子裏的特殊細胞識別出“有氣味”的化學物質的分子，但是支持這一現象的過程並不侷限於鼻腔通道。

In fact, the same chemical pathways help regulate a range of other cell functions in the body, including hair growth.

事實上，同樣的化學反應途徑有助於調節人體的一系列其他細胞功能，包括毛髮生長。

The researchers focused on a receptor called OR2AT4, which is known to be stimulated by Sandalore, and which can be found in the outer layer of hair follicles.

研究人員重點研究了一種名爲OR2AT4的受體，這種能夠被人造檀香刺激的受體可以在毛囊外層被找到。

They found that by applying their synthetic sandalwood odorant to scalp tissue they could both increase hair growth and decrease cell death. This was enough to generate the "substantial, clinically relevant functional hair growth effects", as documented in their Nature Communications paper.

研究人員發現，將他們合成的檀香氣味劑用於頭皮組織，既能夠促進頭髮生長，也能夠減少細胞死亡。正如他們發表於《自然·通訊》雜誌的論文所寫的，這足以產生“實質性的、與臨牀相關的功能性毛髮生長效應”。

Intriguingly, the results suggest that human hair follicles can "smell", in the sense that they make use of ancient smell receptors to control key functions such as growth.

有趣的是，研究結果顯示，人類的毛囊能夠“聞氣味”，它們利用古老的嗅覺受體來控制毛髮生長等關鍵功能。