Reduction of oral tetracycline of lipolysis of triglycerides in hair lipid

The study from 1980 investigated the effects of oral tetracycline hydrochloride on the lipolysis of triglycerides in hair lipid among individuals with acne vulgaris. In a group of 15 young men and women, the treatment significantly reduced the mean free fatty acid/triglyceride (FFA/TG) ratio from 1.56 to 0.47 after 4 weeks and to 0.64 after 8 weeks. A second group of 16 subjects, who received the same oral therapy along with a topical application of 10% ethyl lactate, also showed a significant reduction in the FFA/TG ratio from 1.25 to 0.61 after 4 weeks and to 0.64 after 8 weeks. However, a third group of 16 subjects treated only with ethyl lactate showed no significant change in the FFA/TG ratio, which remained around 1.15 throughout the treatment period.