Substance in broccoli, celery inhibits graying of black hair

NAGOYA--A natural compound in celery, broccoli and other plants inhibits black hair from going gray, research shows. Machiko Iida, a specially appointed assistant professor of occupational and environmental health at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Medicine, said she and her colleagues discovered via an experiment with mice that luteolin, a flavonoid variant, alleviates graying of hair. The team’s findings were published Dec. 17 in the online edition of the international academic journal Antioxidants. Masashi Kato, professor of medicine at Nagoya University, said in a statement that the research will likely lead to the development of a topical agent and an oral dietary supplement utilizing luteolin “that provides a novel option to hinder hair from graying.” But human trials must first be held to gauge the effectiveness and safety of the substance, he said. Luteolin is found in celery, broccoli and the herb species chamomile, among other plants. The ability of luteolin to p ... Read full article.