Emu oil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emu oil is oil derived from adipose tissue harvested from certain subspecies of the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, a flightless bird indigenous to Australia.[1][2]

Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in colour and viscosity, but, assuming the emu has enjoyed a natural diet, is generally a yellow liquid.[3] It is composed of approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1-2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).

Two small-scale animal studies have suggested that emu oil, applied topically, may have anti-inflammatory properties or promote wound healing in various rodent models.[4][5][6] Emu oil is marketed and promoted as a dietary supplement with a wide variety of claimed health benefits.[7] However, little is known about its risks and benefits.[8] Emu oil has been used historically in Australian aboriginal traditional medicine for fevers, coughs, minor pain, arthritic joints, bruises, cuts and sores.[9][10]

Commercial emu oil supplements are not standardized and vary widely in their potency.[6] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration highlighted emu oil in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud," pointing out that many "pure emu oil" products are unapproved drugs.[7]

References

  1. ↑ American Emu Association FAQ
  2. ↑ Devantier, Alecia T; Carol, Turkington (2006). Extraordinary Jobs in Agriculture and Nature. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8160-5854-9. 
  3. ↑ American Emu Association - Definition of emu oil grades
  4. ↑ 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. doi:10.1007/s11745-003-1104-y. PMID 12934669. 
  5. ↑ 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. doi:10.1097/00006534-199812000-00020. PMID 9858176. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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:10.1007/s10787-998-0001-9. PMID 17638122. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kurtzweil, Paula (April 30, 2009). "How to Spot Health Fraud". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved June 29, 2009. 
  8. ↑ Ratini, Melinda (31 December 2012). "Emu Oil". Vitamins & Supplements. WebMD. Retrieved 10 July 2013. 
  9. ↑ Jenni Harrold and Joanne Whitby (1996). Aboriginal studies: Developing an awareness of Aboriginal people and their culture. R.I.C. Publications. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-86311-433-2. 
  10. ↑ Craig Weatherby and Leonid Gordin (1999). The arthritis bible: a comprehensive guide to alternative therapies and conventional treatments for arthritic diseases. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. pp. 149–149. ISBN 978-0-89281-825-9. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.