A Review on Curcumin-Piperine Synergy in Alopecia: Phytochemical Profiling, Molecular Docking and Network Pharmacology Approaches

Alopecia is a multifactorial dermatological disorder characterized by hair follicle miniaturization, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokine activation, and Androgen pathway disturbance. Conventional therapies such as minoxidil and finasteride primarily target single pathways and are often associated with limited long-term efficacy and adverse effects. The current review integrates phytochemical profiling, molecular docking, and network pharmacology to elucidate mode of action of curcumin–piperine additive interaction in alopecia management. Phytochemical analysis confirmed favourable pharmacokinetic suitability properties of curcumin and piperine, while highlighting piperine’s role in enhancing curcumin bioavailability. Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding strength of curcumin toward key alopecia-associated targets, including androgen receptor (AR), 5α-reductase (SRD5A2), TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2 (PTGS2), and MAPK1, suggesting simultaneous modulation of androgenic and inflammatory pathways. Network pharmacology identified hub proteins and interconnected signaling modules involving NF-κB, PI3K-Akt, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways crucial for hair follicle homeostasis. Collectively, these findings support a network-based, multi-target therapeutic mechanism consistent with modern polypharmacology paradigms. Although computational evidence underscores the therapeutic plausibility of curcumin–piperine co-supplementation, experimental validation and clinical investigations remain essential to confirm efficacy in alopecia treatment