National Nakdong River Biological Resources Center confirms dermal papilla cell growth promotion, secures patent

Viola verecunda, a freshwater plant native to Korea [Naver Blog]
Viola verecunda, a freshwater plant native to Korea [Naver Blog]

A natural compound found in a native Korean freshwater plant has been confirmed to help improve hair loss.

The National Nakdong River Biological Resources Center, under the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, announced Thursday that vicenin-2, a flavonoid-class natural compound, has been newly found to promote the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, which play a key role in hair growth.

Flavonoids are natural antioxidants widely present in plants that suppress free radicals and protect cells from damage. Dermal papilla cells, located at the base of hair follicles, regulate hair growth and its cycle, and are commonly used in research to evaluate the efficacy of hair-growth-related materials.

Researchers at the center began analyzing the chemical composition of Viola verecunda, a freshwater plant, in 2021. In the course of that work, they identified vicenin-2 and investigated its activity in relation to hair growth.

When the researchers treated dermal papilla cells with vicenin-2 at varying concentrations and measured cell proliferation, they found that cell growth increased significantly compared with the control group — by 7.4 percent at 1 μg/mL, 9.1 percent at 10 μg/mL and 14.3 percent at 40 μg/mL.

Further analysis of vicenin-2's mechanism of action revealed increased activity of protein kinase B, a protein involved in the signaling pathways that regulate cell proliferation and survival. The finding indicates changes in signaling associated with the promotion of dermal papilla cell growth.

Based on these results, the research team registered a patent in August for the use of vicenin-2 in hair loss improvement.

"This research is significant in that it identified new hair-growth-related activity in a previously known natural compound and demonstrated its potential as a material for improving hair loss," said Jeong Yu-jin, head of the center's Applied Technology Development Division. "We will continue to discover useful compounds and new functions from freshwater biological resources, and channel those findings into the development of functional materials for use in the bioindustry."


thlee@heraldcorp.com