Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common type of hair loss affecting both men and women. Although AGA is a permanent condition that cannot be wholly cured, proper treatment or therapy can provide significant relief.
One method is the regular use of hair treatment products like hair serum. In 2024, the UGM Student Creativity Program in Exact Science Research (PKM-RE) team researched the potential use of natural ingredients as an innovative hair serum product to inhibit the triggers of androgenetic alopecia (AGA).
This research was carried out by five UGM students from various study programs: Syahida Naia Nurastuti (Chemistry 2022), Dina Victoria Puji Lestari (Chemistry 2022), Aisya Mufida Ramadhani (Chemistry 2023), Endang Wijayanti (Pharmacy 2022), and Ahmed Mortezza (Biology 2023). Dr. Muhammad Idham Darussalam Mardjan from the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences supervised the research.
According to research conducted by Nugroho in 2023, one plant with great potential as a natural ingredient for making hair serum is Tridax procumbens L., locally known as songgolangit. This wild plant from Latin America produces secondary metabolites that have toxic effects on surrounding plants.
“The presence of songgolangit leaves is often found in roadside bushes, so people think of it as just an ordinary wild plant and dismiss it,” said Syahida Nurastuti, the team leader, at the UGM campus on Thursday (July 4).
Nurastuti explained that in this research, extracts from T. procumbens leaves are the main ingredient in hair serum production. These leaves contain various antioxidant compounds, including alkaloids, steroids, carotenoids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins.
These compounds have the potential to address AGA and can accelerate hair growth. Another innovation in this hair serum product is the use of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) technology.
“Hair serum testing was conducted on Wistar rats. Wistar rats were used as research subjects and were given testosterone hormone injections to induce AGA,” explained Nurastuti.
Further, Wistar rats were treated with hair serum made from songgolangit, and its effects and efficacy were compared with minoxidil. The main parameter in this research is the hair length growth of Wistar rats after being treated with songgolangit leaf extract and TP-NLC serum.
Nurastuti added that this research was conducted over three months, from May to July 2024. This study is expected to find innovative and natural solutions to help AGA sufferers and promote scientific advancement in using natural ingredients for innovative hair serum products in the cosmetics industry.
Author: UGM Songgolangit Team
Editor: Agung Nugroho