Efficacy of Glucopyranosyldiacylglycerol from Padina Arborescens in Preventing Hair Loss

The 2020 study investigated the effects of Padina arborescens and its active component, 1-O-myristoyl-2-O-oleoyl-3-O-(α- D-glucopyranosyl)-glycerol (MOGG), on preventing hair loss. The researchers found that both the P. arborescens extract and MOGG inhibited the activity of 5α-reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a primary cause of androgenetic alopecia. When applied to immortalized rat vibrissa dermal papilla cells, MOGG significantly increased cell proliferation. Additionally, both the P. arborescens extract and MOGG were found to open the KATP channel, potentially promoting hair growth. MOGG also increased PGE2 production in HaCaT cells. The results suggested that MOGG from the P. arborescens extract could potentially treat alopecia through multiple mechanisms, including 5α-reductase inhibition, dermal papilla cell proliferation, KATP channel opening, and increased PGE2 production.