Poly(γ-Glutamic Acid)/Chitosan Hydrogel Nanoparticles for Effective Preservation and Delivery of Fermented Herbal Extract for Enlarging Hair Bulb and Enhancing Hair Growth

In the 2019 study, researchers developed Poly(γ-Glutamic Acid)/Chitosan (PGA/CS) hydrogel nanoparticles to encapsulate a hair growth-promoting herbal extract (4HGF), aiming to enhance hair growth by improving delivery and preservation of the extract. The nanoparticles, named PGA-4HGF, were approximately 400 nm in size, with an encapsulation efficiency over 50% and a loading capacity over 10 wt%. They showed pH-dependent release, particularly under conditions similar to hair follicles, and were able to penetrate porcine skin effectively. The nanoparticles also demonstrated stability under high temperatures. When applied to telogenic mice and dermal papilla cells (DPCs), the PGA-4HGF nanoparticles resulted in enlarged hair bulbs and significant morphological changes in DPCs. These findings suggest that PGA-4HGF nanoparticles could be a potential approach for hair growth promotion, with further studies including human testing planned to explore the mechanisms involved and develop new hair growth products. The number of mice or DPCs used in the study was not specified in the summary.