The Effect of a Herbal Paste and Oil Extract on the Lipid Content of Canine Hair Fibers

In a study from 2017, researchers investigated the effects of a herbal paste and oil extract on the lipid content of canine hair fibers. They collected hair samples from six beagle dogs and subjected them to different treatments including rinsing, shampooing, herbal therapy, and herbal therapy with oil extract. The lipid analysis was conducted using high-performance thin-layer chromatography. The study found that both shampooing and herbal therapy reduced the levels of cholesterol ester and triglyceride (TG) in the hair. However, hair treated with the combination of herbal therapy and oil extract retained almost three times more TG, even after being shampooed. This suggests that the herbal therapy with oil extract could coat the hair with TG, which was not removed by rinsing. The study concluded that there is a potential for botanical products containing lipids like TG to improve the quality of a dog's hair coat, but further research is needed to confirm these benefits.