Quality, safety and activity of an ointment formulated from two vegetable oils on rabbits hair growth

Résumé

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate quality, safety and activity on rabbit’s hair growth of an ointment formulated with two vegetables oils. A formulation of the ointment coded PKR was carried out by a mixture of oils of Ricinus communis L. as active and Butyrospermum. parkii (G. Don) Kotschy as an excipient, two species well known in West Africa for their uses in hair maintenance. For this study, eight healthy, male and female rabbits of species Oryctolagus cuniculus, weighting 1.5-1.8 kg were used. The ointment was applied to the rabbits previously shaved on the flank area at the rate of twice treatments daily for 28 days. Hair length was measured each two days while the hair mass was assessed on day 29. In addition, quality of this ointment was evaluated by specific microbiological control, stability by observation of some physical parameters along the experiment and safety by in vivo skin irritation test. PKR ointment with yellowish color obtained had an excellent consistency, was homogeneous, with an interesting odor and pH= 4.1. After 28 days of this topical ointment application, results showed It significantly increased both rabbits male and female hair length in comparison to controls. In addition, for the male a cumulative growth length round to 20 mm i.e. average daily growth of 0.71 mm/day against 15.5 mm i.e. average daily growth of 0.55 mm/day for female. On Day 29, hair mass also  increased in treated groups.  The ointment did not show any microbial contamination, it remained stable over time with a good pH and non irritative.

Ointment PKR would promote hair growth without irritating skin and could be used as potential topical formulation hair grower in replace to synthetic cosmetics.