Schizochytrium Sp. Extracted Lipids Prevent Alopecia by Enhancing Antioxidation and Inhibiting Ferroptosis of Dermal Papilla Cells

The study found that Schizochytrium sp.-extracted lipids (SEL) significantly promoted the proliferation and survival of dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which are crucial for hair growth. SEL protected DPCs against oxidative stress damage, reducing the reactive oxygen species level by 90.7%, and inhibited the ferroptosis pathway. In vivo application of SEL improved hair growth, with new hair length increasing by 16.7% and new hair follicles length increasing by 92.6%. The resting phase of the hair growth cycle was also shortened by 40.0%. The study involved in vitro experiments on DPCs and in vivo experiments on C57BL/6 mice. The main components of SEL were identified as palmitic acid (46.1%), DHA (28.5%), EPA (6.8%), docosapentaenoic acid (5.0%), myristic acid (2.8%), and stearic acid (1.4%). The study concluded that SEL could be a potential therapeutic option for alopecia.