United States Patent 5,958,384

Sept. 28, 1999

Use of emu oil for stimulating skin and hair growth

The present invention is directed to the discovery that topical or parenteral administration of emu oil to a mammal stimulates the proliferation of skin. Emu oil can be used to treat skin wrinkles and rejuvenate aged and photo-damaged skin. It has also been discovered that emu oil can be topically applied to stimulate melanogenesis in the skin and to stimulate hair growth. Thus, emu oil is useful to treat pigmentation disorders such as hypopigmentation, stimulating melanogenesis to enhance skin tanning, and treating disorders relating to disturbances in hair cycling such as alopecia, male pattern baldness, female baldness, and chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Inventors: Holick; Michael F. (31 Bishop La., Sudbury, MA 01776).

Appl. No.: 66,598

Filed: Apr. 27, 1998

Related U.S. Application Data

Division of Ser No. 433,789, May 3, 1995, Pat. No. .

Intl. Cl. : A61K 7/44, A01N 59/22

Current U.S. Cl.: /60; /522

Field of Search: 424/60, 522

References Cited

U.S. Patent Documents

Jul., 1995 Ghosh et al. 424/522

Dec., 1995 Fein et al. 424/522

Primary Examiner: Nutter; Nathan M.

Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.