Viola verecunda extracts to be used for functional hair-growth cosmetics

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- Megacos, a subsidiary of South Korea's cosmetics brand Tony Moly, will release functional cosmetics such as shampoo, treatment and hair tonic in 2021, using extracts of viola verecunda, a species of violet known as hidden violet, that were found to be effective in hair growth and hair loss control.

Megacos signed a technology transfer contract with the state-run Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBR), the environment ministry said in a statement on November 16. The institute will develop mass breeding technology to secure the stable supply of raw materials and carry out further research such as the separation of effective ingredients.

The institute will be paid for the use of patented technology. Viola verecunda is locally common in Northeast Asia. In oriental medicine, the plant, excluding roots, is used as a medicinal ingredient that is effective in abscess and external injury.

NNIBR researchers have confirmed the effects of hidden violet extracts on cells that play an important role in hair follicle formation and hair growth. They found that hidden violet extracts had similar or somewhat higher effects than minoxidil, a generic medication used for the treatment of male-pattern hair loss.

Lim Chang-won cwlim34@ajunews.com

Viola verecunda extracts to be used for functional hair-growth cosmetics

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