Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Sargassum Glaucescens Oligosaccharides Extracts

The study "Hair growth-promoting effects of Sargassum glaucescens oligosaccharides extracts" investigated the effects of fucoidan, a polysaccharide extracted from Sargassum glaucescens, a type of brown seaweed found in Taiwan, on hair growth. The researchers used microwave-assisted high-pressure water extraction and subcritical water extraction to obtain the fucoidan. The study found that low molecular weight fucoidan promoted cell proliferation and upregulated Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and Lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF)-1 expression in dermal papilla cells, which are key factors in hair growth. The fucoidan extracts also demonstrated hair growth-promoting activity in mice model tests. The study concluded that Sargassum fucoidan, particularly those with lower molecular weight, effectively enhanced dermal papilla cell proliferation and growth factor-related genes expression, promoting hair growth.