Efficacy and Safety of Millet Seed Extract in Telogen Effluvium Treatment

April 29, 2026 updated by: heba ahmed abdelgayed ibrahim, Kasr El Aini Hospital

Efficacy and Safety of Millet Seed Extract in the Treatment of Telogen Effluvium in Female Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

This is a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial investigating the efficacy and safety of millet seed extract capsules in treating telogen effluvium in female patients. The study will recruit 60 female participants with telogen effluvium who will be randomly assigned to receive either millet seed extract capsules (containing 420 mg millet seed extract, 200 mcg biotin, 6 mg L-cystine, and 27.48 mg vitamin B5) twice daily or Biotin forte capsules (5 mg biotin) once daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome will measure changes in telogen and anagen hair densities using dermoscopy-assisted phototrichography. Secondary outcomes will assess patient satisfaction and unwanted body hair growth. Safety will be monitored throughout the study period at Cairo University's dermatology clinic.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Telogen effluvium is characterized by diffuse hair shedding that significantly impacts quality of life. Millet seed extract, rich in bioactive compounds including miliacin, offers a promising natural treatment approach. This 12-week randomized, double-blind, controlled trial will recruit 60 female patients with telogen effluvium at Kasr Al Ainy, Cairo University. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either millet seed extract capsules (420 mg millet seed extract, 200 mcg biotin, 6 mg L-cystine, 27.48 mg vitamin B5 twice daily) or biotin forte capsules (5 mg once daily). Primary outcome measures include telogen and anagen hair densities assessed by dermoscopy-assisted phototrichography at baseline and week 12. Secondary outcomes include patient satisfaction, unwanted body hair growth assessment, and Dermatology Life Quality Index scores. Safety will be monitored throughout the study period with adverse event reporting. The study includes female patients aged 18+ with clinically and trichoscopically confirmed telogen effluvium and hair shedding degree of 4 or higher on the Sinclair scale, excluding those with pregnancy, scalp diseases, or medication-induced hair loss.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
    • Cairo Governorate
      • Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt, 11555
        • Kasr El Aini Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Hair shedding degree of 4 or higher according to the Hair Shedding Visual Scale (Sinclair scale).
  • Diagnosis of telogen effluvium confirmed by a dermatologist after ruling out other causes of non-scarring alopecia (e.g., alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia).
  • No use of topical or systemic hair loss treatments or oral hair growth supplements for at least 1 month prior to the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • History of scalp diseases or conditions affecting hair growth like androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata.
  • Use of medications known to cause hair loss.
  • Any underlying medical condition that could interfere with the study.
  • Use of topical treatment in the last 3 month.
  • Use of systemic treatment in the last 3 month such as iron, biotin or any hair growth supplements.
  • Annemia or low serum level of ferritin.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Millet Seed Extract Group
Participants in this group received Millet seed extract capsules containing 420 mg millet seed extract, 200mcg biotin, 6mg L-cystine, and 27.48 mg vitamin B5, taken orally twice daily for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Millet Seed Extract group
Millet seed extract capsules containing 420 mg millet seed extract, 200 mcg biotin, 6 mg L-cystine, and 27.48 mg vitamin B5, taken orally twice daily for 12 weeks. The extract is standardized to miliacin content.
Active Comparator: Control Group
Participants in this group received capsules containing 5mg of biotin once daily for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Biotin group
Capsules containing 5 mg of biotin, taken orally once daily for 12 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Telogen and Anagen Hair Densities measured by Dermoscopy-Assisted Phototrichogram
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 of treatment
Percentage change in telogen and anagen hair densities in the specified scalp area (external occipital protuberance region, 1 cm²) from baseline to week 12. Telogen and anagen densities will be calculated as the number of telogen/anagen hairs divided by total hair count in the selected area multiplied by 100. Measurements will be performed using dermoscopy-assisted phototrichogram (PTG) analysis with microphotographs taken on day 0 and day 3 of each assessment period
Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 of treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Patient Satisfaction with Treatment using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: Week 12 (End of Study)
Patient satisfaction will be measured using a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) where 0 = "Not satisfied at all" and 10 = "Completely satisfied". This assessment will be conducted at the end of the study (Week 12) to evaluate overall treatment satisfaction.
Week 12 (End of Study)
Unwanted Body Hair Growth Assessment
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 of treatment
Clinical evaluation and dermoscopy-assisted phototrichogram analysis of unwanted body hair growth in a 4 cm x 4 cm standardized area on the anterior surface of the mid-thigh. Assessment includes visual macrophotograph evaluation for hair growth and density, and dermoscopic analysis using the same dermoscopy-assisted phototrichogram (PTG) technique applied to the scalp assessment.
Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 of treatment
Physician Global Assessment of Hair Improvement using Standardized Macrophotographs
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 (End of Study)
Assessment of overall hair improvement by two blinded dermatologists and one non-blinded dermatologist using standardized macrophotographs taken at baseline and end of therapy. Scoring will use a 5-point scale: -1 = Worsening; 0 = No improvement; 1 = Mild improvement; 2 = Moderate improvement; 3 = Excellent improvement.
Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 (End of Study)
Patient Global Assessment of Overall Hair Improvement
Time Frame: Week 12 (End of Study)
Patient self-assessment of overall hair improvement at the end of the study period using a 5-point scale: -1 = Worsening; 0 = No improvement; 1 = Mild improvement; 2 = Moderate improvement; 3 = Excellent improvement.
Week 12 (End of Study)
Change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Score
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 (End of Study)
Assessment of the impact of telogen effluvium on quality of life using the validated Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. The DLQI measures the effect of skin disease on patients' quality of life across six domains. Change from baseline to end of study will be evaluated.
Baseline (Week 0) and Week 12 (End of Study)
Safety and Tolerability of Millet Seed Extract and Biotin Forte Capsules
Time Frame: Throughout the 12-week treatment period at Baseline (Week 0), Week 6, and Week 12
Clinical evaluation and monitoring for any adverse effects including gastrointestinal discomfort, allergic reactions, and unwanted body hair growth. Adverse events will be graded for severity and documented including date of onset, duration, severity, action taken, and outcome. Serious adverse events will be reported to the principal investigator and ethics committee.
Throughout the 12-week treatment period at Baseline (Week 0), Week 6, and Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kasr El Aini Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 29, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MS-95-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared because this is a single-center study with a small sample size, and de-identification cannot be fully guaranteed. Aggregate results, including summary statistics and outcome analyses, will be made available through publication

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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