Emu oil
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Emu oil is an oil made from the fat of the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, a bird native to Australia. It has been used historically by the Australian aborigines for the treatment of burns, wounds, bruises, and as a pain reliever for bone, muscle, and joint disorders. Emu oil is approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains about 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1-2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).
A handful of studies have suggested that emu oil, applied topically, may have anti-inflammatory properties or promote wound healing in various rodent models.[1][2] While there are no studies showing that emu oil is effective in humans, it is marketed and promoted as a dietary supplement with a wide variety of claimed health benefits. Commercially marketed emu oil supplements are poorly standardized and vary widely in their potency.[3] Such products are sometimes marketed deceptively; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration highlighted emu oil in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud".[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Yoganathan S, Nicolosi R, Wilson T, et al. (June 2003). "Antagonism of croton oil inflammation by topical emu oil in CD-1 mice". Lipids 38 (6): 603–7. PMID 12934669.
- ^ Politis MJ, Dmytrowich A (December 1998). "Promotion of second intention wound healing by emu oil lotion: comparative results with furasin, polysporin, and cortisone". Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 102 (7): 2404–7. PMID 9858176.
- ^ Whitehouse MW, Turner AG, Davis CK, Roberts MS (1998). "Emu oil(s): A source of non-toxic transdermal anti-inflammatory agents in aboriginal medicine". Inflammopharmacology 6 (1): 1–8. doi:. PMID 17638122.
- ^ Kurtzweil, Paula (April 30, 2009). "How to Spot Health Fraud". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm. Retrieved on June 29, 2009.
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