Effect of Dieckol, a Component of Ecklonia cava, on the Promotion of Hair Growth

In the 2012 study, dieckol, a component of the marine alga Ecklonia cava, was found to promote hair growth by increasing hair-fiber length in rat vibrissa follicles and inducing anagen progression in C57BL/6 mice. It also stimulated the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and inhibited 5α-reductase activity, which is linked to androgenetic alopecia. While the extract increased fibroblast proliferation, isolated compounds like dieckol did not, suggesting that other components in the extract may contribute to this effect. Dieckol's inhibition of 5α-reductase was comparable to finasteride, a known hair loss treatment. These findings indicate that dieckol and E. cava extract could be potential treatments for hair loss, warranting further research on human hair follicles.