Antioxidant Activity and Hair Growth Promoting Effect of Mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor Larvae) Extract
October 2017
TLDR Mealworm extract may help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth due to its antioxidant activity.
In 2017, a study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant activity and hair growth promoting effect of Tenebrio molitor larvae extract (TME), also known as mealworm extract. The study found that TME had a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 81.17% and a nitrite scavenging activity of 43.69%, similar to blueberry extract. The extract also promoted the proliferation of human DPCs and NIH3T3 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, TME prevented DHT-induced DPCs cytotoxicity and the action of TBM as a potassium channel blocker in NIH3T3 cells. These results suggested that TME could be used as a functional material for alopecia therapeutic reagent by preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.
