title: The effect of a herbal paste and oil extract on the lipid content of canine hair fibres.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Application of herbal paste and oil to a dog's coat and body before rinsing (often combining with shampooing) is a cosmetic therapy available in Japan. It is highly appreciated by users, who claim that the treatment makes the coat shinier, improves volume and eliminates tangles. However, there has been no scientific evaluation of such treatments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Improvement of hair condition is derived from oils such as sebum and conditioning oils because chemicals are not used. Therefore, we examined nonpolar lipids (the primary lipids in dog hair) and the botanical oils used in this therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair samples were obtained from six beagle dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Groups were based on different combinations of the following processes: rinsing, shampooing, herbal therapy and herbal therapy with oil extract. Analysis of lipids was performed by high performance thin layer chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The processes of shampooing and herbal therapy were associated with an equivalent reduction in cholesterol ester and triglyceride (TG). However, hair treated by herbal therapy combined with oil extract had an almost three-fold higher TG content, even after shampooing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the herbal therapy was able to coat hair samples with TG that was not removed with rinsing. Further investigation is required to evaluate the possible benefits of the application of botanical products containing lipids, such as TG, on hair coat quality in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Momota
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kadoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gin
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Science, School of Veterinary Nursing and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Technical Information Centre, Kyoritsu Seiyaku Corporation, 1-12-4 Kudankita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0073, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Nursing , Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sako
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000032:analysis; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000662:veterinary; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D009824:Ointments; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D006203:Hair Preparations; D008055:Lipids; D009824:Ointments; D010938:Plant Oils; D014280:Triglycerides