Mangrove extract may help fight baldness, study finds

Thai researchers believe that a mangrove extract could help fight baldness.

The extract, called Avicequinon C, has been shown to stop the body from producing hormones that can lead to hair loss.

So far, the research team at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chulalongkorn University have tested the extract on a group of 50 men and women with androgenic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss. .

The participants had made visible improvements after a month, and wIn addition, it seemed that the treatment had not only curbed hair loss, but also stimulated hair growth.

This means that it can help people who have already lost more than their fair share of hair.

The next step is to test the extract on more volunteers, so that it can be approved by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand.

If it gets the green light, a private company has already purchased the research patent, which it can use to develop an anti-hair loss product.

Professor Wanchai Deeknamkul, Faculty of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, said, “We have found that it has many benefits. Firstly, it prevents enzymes from producing hair loss hormones and secondly, it could also help produce the protein which stimulates hair growth.

“We took pictures of the heads of the volunteers in all corners and also used a microscope to examine the area of ​​hair loss to examine the nature of the hair loss and make an appointment after a month and repeat the same. process for four consecutive months.

“We compared images from the same location and found that after just one month the participants showed positive changes with an improvement in the strength of the hair that also adheres well to the scalp, while none of the participants did. exhibited allergic reaction. ”

He added that its natural derivation might make it a more desirable option than synthetic alternatives.

He explained, “We looked at over 50 herbal extracts and over 20 pure substances and found that Avicennia Marin extract contains the active ingredient Avicequinone C, which inhibits the enzyme that produces loss hormones. hair.

“Plus, Avicennia Marin extract helps build proteins which can also promote hair growth. It helps to solve the hair loss problem completely.

“Several cosmeceuticals claiming to treat hair loss consist primarily of chemically synthesized drugs. This can cause unwanted side effects especially allergic reactions and inflammation of the skin and affect the body system.

“Furthermore, almost all of them have not been scientifically proven or researched to determine the mechanism of action of the substances used.

“In the past, we imported synthetic drugs from foreign countries both topical and oral, but these only showed results of 30% and 48% respectively. In addition, the side effects were also much greater.

“Therefore, the Avicennia Marin plant extracts found in Thai mangrove forests will reduce the importation of these synthetic drugs. It can also be an export commodity that also creates market value for the country. ”