###### Abstract  
An abnormal hair-growth cycle induces hair loss, which affects psychological distress and impairs life quality. Red ginseng marc (RGM) is usually discarded as a byproduct after extracting red ginseng, but several studies have shown that the RGM still has bioactive components including ginensosides. Therefore, the hair-growth effects of fermented RGM (fRGM) and traditional polyherb formula (PH) were examined in C57 BL/6 mice. The dorsal hairs of mice were depilated, and they were topically treated with fRGM or PH at 400, 200 and 100 mg/kg or the combination of both middle doses (combi) once a day for two weeks. The hair-covering regions were significantly increased with higher doses of fRGM and PH and in combi groups, compared with the control treated with distilled water. Hair length, thickness and weight also increased in the treatment groups. In particular, the fRGM and PH increased the anagen-phased hair follicles, the follicular diameters and the dermal thickness. Immunostains for Ki-67 showed the anagen-phased cell division in the treatment groups. The beneficial effects were greater in the high doses of fRGM and PH and the combi groups. These suggest hair-growth-promoting effects of fRGM, PH and the combination by enhancing the hair-growth cycle. hair growth; growth cycle; red ginseng marc; polyherb; hair length; hair thickness; hair weight; proliferation; anagen +
Footnote †: journal:(i.e., reduced libido, erectile dysfunction and gynecomasia), and the effectiveness varies greatly among individuals [7]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop treatments that prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Ginseng (_Panax ginseng_ [PERSON]) has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine in Eastern Asia. Red ginseng is a steamed root of the ginseng that is harvested after six years, and the extracts have shown various pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-stress, antitumor, antimutagenic, antidiabetic and immunomodulatory activities [8,9]. The red ginseng has been reported to promote hair growth in animal models by preventing apoptosis of hair follicle cells and inhibiting 5-\(\alpha\) reductase [10,11]. It also increases the hair follicle density and size in the patients with androgenic alopecia [12]. The functional main ingredients are saponins (ginsenosides), polysaccharides and phenolic compounds. In particular, ginseng increase epithelial cell genesis/development and endothelial progenitor cell migration/proliferation [13], and they also involve promoting hair growth through anti-apoptotic effects [14,15]. Furthermore, some components composing traditional polyherb formulas used for treating hair loss have been proved to have promoting effects on hair growth, even though the combination effects remain to be clarified: _Cornu cervi pantotrichum_ facilitates hair growth through upregulation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-7 [16]; _Eclipta prostrata_ stimulates the anagen phase through regulation of FGF-7 and -5 [17]; _Dicatumnus dasycarpus Turczaininov, Polygonum multiformu Thunberg_ and _Lycopus lucidus Turczaininov_ are often used in combination for the herbal formulas in alopecia [18]. In addition, _Eclipta prostrata_ and _Polygonum multiformu Thunberg_ have significant inhibitory activities against 5-\(\alpha\) reductase [19]. Red ginseng marc (RGM) is a byproduct obtained after extracting the red ginseng, which is usually discarded as waste. However, RGM or fermented RGM has shown antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anticancer effects [20,21]. It is believed that the bioactive components including ginsengosides and polysaccharides contained in RGM are still effective despite small amounts [20,22]. Moreover, the fermentation process of RGM enhances the beneficial effects, especially strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects [23].