1. INTRODUCTION:

Egg oil or egg yolk oil is derived from the standard hen’s eggs. It is extracted by employing modern technology and available as brand name Oleova, by VAV Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India. It consists largely of triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol as well as a rich source of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), Omega-3, and Omega-6 that are also known as Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). The egg oil composition is resembled closely to the human skin. Egg oil is egg proteins free and therefore may be friendly to egg allegic people, especially in cosmetic preparations (1).

In history, egg oil was used and reported in Unani medicine for the nourishment of hair care. Even chinese medicine employed egg oil in the dermatological treatments of burn wounds, eczema, dermatitis and ulcers, etc (2).

The lipids and oil of eggs is a source of high nutritional and act as a good source of nutraceuticals but their extraction is a tacky process. Because extraction of maximum possible egg oil by keeping them in natural condition is a big question. The composition of egg oil is shown in Figure 1. The clinical trials of egg oil are undergoing by manufacturers in various target areas, but still it can be used safely. The reason is attributed to natural origin of egg oil and it is edible in nature. Extracted egg oil can be utilized further in the preparation of various topical delivery systems such as liposomes, microemulsions and nanoparticles.Fats and fatty acids present in fixed oils and essential oils have been used topically from time immemorial as emollients, protectants and occlusives.

Figure 1: Composition of egg oil

1.1 Physicochemical properties of Egg oil:

Various physicochemical properties of egg oil are illustrated in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Physicochemical properties of egg oil

Physicochemical Properties of Egg Oil/Egg Yolk Oil
Synonym:	Egg yolk oil, hen egg yolk oil, ovum oil
Appearance	Yellow color
Consistency	Viscous and thickened semisolid (25°C)
Odor	Mild egg characteristic odor
Refractive index	1.46 to 1.48
Specific gravity at 20°C	0.90 - 0.95
Acid value	Not more than 10.0
Saponification value	194
Iodine value	73
Unsaponifiable matter	Not more than 6%
Loss on drying	Not less than 5%
Protein	Negative
Phospholipids	Not less than 30.0%
Shelf life	One year from manufacturing

1.2 Extraction methods of egg oil:

Extraction of egg oil:

Egg oil is extracted from eggs of hen on standard diet. As per the literature, it was observed that egg oil is extracted by two methods. First one is with the help of heat and second with the solvent mixtures (3, 4).

The first method requires egg protein degradation by the heat but second with the use of organic solvents (5,6).

1.2.1 By heating method:

Cooper (1951), patented a method of egg oil extraction for the first time in 1950. He heated the yolk portion of hard-boiled eggs with a fat as a starter until a dark brown liquid of low viscosity was obtained (7)

The detailed extraction process was discussed in Figure 2. Herring (1980), patented a simple and effective extraction process for the extraction of egg oil with the help of only heat. As a result the final obtained product is free from adulteration, sterilized and medically pure egg oil (5)

1.2.2 By Solvent Extraction Method:

Various solvent mixtures such as ethanol-chloroform (30:70) and 2-proponal-hexane (30:70) were mixed by volume and are used for extraction of egg yolk oil. For extraction of egg oil, the solvents were put into a beaker with egg yolk and mixed homogeneously (8). The extraction process with solvent mixtures is shown in Figure 3 (9).

2. Properties and Uses of Egg oil:

Egg oil due to its rich constituents is enriched with various nutrition supplements and provides numerous properties in various areas such as burns, emollient, wound healing, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial etc (10,11). Properties of egg oil are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 2: Extraction of egg yolk oil by heating

Figure 3: Extraction of egg yolk oil by solvent extraction

Figure 4: Properties of egg oil

2.1 Burns:

Burg (1980), patented a topical treatment method using avian egg for the second and third-degree burn wounds developed on human skin (12). Sharp (1996), patented a formulation for the treatment of a burn and other skin conditions such as, an eczema and atopic dermatitis (13). Dezes (1997), patented a composition for relief of burn symptoms with the help of method of producing the burn relief composition includes initially separating eggs into egg yolks and egg albumin. The egg yolks are then incorporated into a mixed glyceride composition to form a first intermediate composition which is emulsified by the addition of an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide. The egg albumen is then mixed with the first intermediate composition to form a second intermediate composition which is further emulsified by the addition of aqueous solutions of a calcium hydrate composition, and, then stored and applicable for topical application to a mammalian body to relieve the symptoms of pain due to burn conditions (14). Rastegar et al. (2011),studied the therapeutic effect of egg oil in the wound healing caused by third degree burns and revealed that abundant skin epithelialization occurs without the sign of scar formation as compared to other treatment such as silver sulphadiazine (15).

2.2 Emollient:

Egg oil provides nourishment moisturizer to both hair and skin and moisturize due to its cholesterol rich composition. The later is absorbed readily into the skin and is suitable for those who are allergic to egg proteins. Egg oil acts as an emollient, lubricant or moisturizer on the skin and is found to be potentially useful in skin and hair care. Due to its emollient effect, it has been used to formulate various cosmetic formulations in the form of emulsions for hand creams, body creams and massage creams, etc. when added in the range of 0.3 to 0.4% w/w (16).

2.3 Wound Healing:

In today’s World, burn injuries are one of the major causes of mortality and egg oil seems as an excellent healer in case of burn wounds (17). It was observed that when egg oil was applied topically to burnt animal skin, there is abundant re-epithelialization without scar formation as compared to animals treated with silver sulphadiazine alone (15). Egg oil has also been patented as a ‘burn healer’ by Burg (1980), for the burn wound treatment (6) 12. Hahn et al. (2014), carried out a research study on the wound healing potential of charismon©, which is a branded egg oil and observed the effects of egg oil on a variety of physiological reactions in cells. It is also reported to be helpful in skin anti-aging (18). Mehta et al. (2013), prepared novel topical formulations incorporated silver sulphadiazine (SSD) in lipids for the treatment of burn wounds and reported that this formulation is used as first-aid treatment for immediate pain relief and prevention of blisters with no scars, aids re-epithelialization and inhibits the bacterial growth at the wound site. Additionally, it does not change the texture of the new skin (19).

Dawson (2003), patented and disclosed a novel composition consists of ovalbumin, phenoxyethanol, carbomer and triethanolamine for the treatment of wound healing and hair growth (20).

2.4 Anti-inflammatory:

Inflammation is the primary cause of any cell injury which can result from any irritant or pathogen. Besides this, sunburn can also cause skin inflammation primarily by reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is responsible for cell death via. apoptosis, damage of DNA, and necrosis. Hahn et al. (2014), studied the effect of egg oil on full thickness human skin model (FTSM) and observed that egg oil modulate the photosensitivity (18).As egg oil treated skin section showed normal epidermal cells with normal nuclei even after treated with UV irradiation as compared to the one without treatment, which showed pycnotic nuclei. Literature reports suggested that egg oil possess significant analgesic properties and has also been recommended in inflammatory joint pain conditions. Mahmoudi et al. (2013), conducted an anti-inflammatory activity of duck and hen egg oil and reported momentous anti-inflammatory activity of both oils when given at 100-300 mg/kg in comparison to the control group. The possible reason is may be due to the presence of choline in egg oils which reduced the inflammatory markers. Another effective component is palmitoylethanolamide occurrence in phospholipids fraction of egg oil which helps in the reduction of inflammation (21, 22).

2.5 Antioxidant:

Egg oil being rich in cholesterol, triglycerides, carotenoids, tocopherols, phospholipids and other valuable components, has been used for its emollient, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-microbial and anti-rachitic activity (23).

2.6 Anti-bacterial:

Egg oil works as an antibacterial agent, hence involved in treatment of inflammatory skin conditions that involve other environmental factors such as infections and trauma (24).

2.7 Analgesic:

Egg oil is also reported to possess significant analgesic properties and has been recommended in inflammatory joint pain conditions. These oils demonstrated analgesic activity, possibly due to the presence of choline since its presence reduced inflammatory markers by 20%. Egg oil is also reported to be helpful in skin anti-aging, improvisation of skin texture and prevention of wrinkles (24).

3. Applications of egg oil in cosmetics:

Egg oil is of natural origin and is a potential molecule with varied properties (1). Some of the applications of egg oil are shown in the figure 5 and marketed products discussed in table 2 as follows:

3.1 Topical delivery:Fats and fatty acids present in fixed oils and essential oils have been used topically from time immemorial as emollients, protectants and occlusives. Egg oil also provides good beneficial effect in topical application such as moisturizing and conditioning effect on the skin which helps in maintenance of the its cellular structure. It forms a light protective barrier on the skin and preventing moisture loss, without clogging the pores. Madan and Nanda, in 2017 emphasis on the role of egg oil as a potential source of bioavailable lutein and zeaxanthin for skin and sun protection (25).

3.2 Hair care:

Egg oil has amazing benefits in hair care. It helps in maintaining the texture of hair and remove frizziness due to the presence of important elements. It acts as a hair softener and provides shine to dry hair. It can be used alone or in combination with other natural origin oils (i.e., coconut oil) as a hair mask or as an ingredient of shampoos for example, halo shampoo (26).

Eyova egg oil ismarketed byVAV Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, Maharashtra, India. It contains Essential fatty acids, cholesterol and antioxidant. It is also used to treat hair loss, dandruff, grey and fizzy hair. It is also helpful in stimulation of hair growth and regeneration of hair follicles (27).

Figure 5: Applications of egg oil

3.3 Skin Care:

Egg oil has tremendous applications in the area of skin. It can also be used as sunscreen agent due to its antioxidant property. It shows moisturizing effects and can be used as a moisturizer. It acts as an occlusive agent and prevents dehydration of the skin without disturbing the pores. It maintains fundamental protoplasmic structure of the skin. Such as marketed formulation Tala ant oil. Egg oil demonstrates good water-in-oil (w/o) emulsification property and is compatible with dermatological products. Therefore, it can be utilized in the preparation of various cosmeceuticals preparation in the form of topical drug delivery system, such as liposomes, nanoparticles and microemulsions (28, 29).

3.4Oral Care:

Egg oil also has a benefit in the area of oral care. It can be properly diluted and used for gargling which prevent the formation of dental cavities and also prevent the growth of bacteria in the mouth. It also prevents and slow-down the development of dental diseases due to its rich essential fatty acids composition (30).

3.5 Nail Care:

Egg oil has potential applications in the area of beauty treatments since ages. It acts as a nail cuticle softener as well as moisturizer. It also reduces the peeling of nails and proves effective in improving the strength of brittle nails and also aids in manicure (31).

3.6 Nutraceuticals:

Egg oil is also used for treatment of in-digestion, improve memory, source of vitamin D, and immune system. It is a major source of poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) for example, docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid by combining with fish oil, it can be used for providing nutrition to infants (32, 33).

3.7 Cosmetics:

Since the time immemorial, egg oil is used in traditional cosmetic applications. It is available commercially with other essential oil and included in various cosmetic preparations. These are in the form of creams, sunscreens, ointments, and lotions. This may be due to its effective anti-bacterial, excellent anti-oxidant, good penetration enhancer, and conditioning effect (34).

4. CONCLUSION:

Egg oil is a rich source of phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, antioxidants and resembles the constituents of a biological membrane. It is a potential source and acts as a good carrier for topical formulations. The presence of phospholipid makes it non-toxic and biodegradable, additionally the presence of lutein and zeaxanthin make it a very good antioxidant. Being protein free, it is a safe for the patients allergic to egg products. Further, the presence of cholesterol makes it a very good emollient. Presence of all these constituents makes the egg oil a potential source for cosmetics.

Egg oil has wide range of properties which provides tremendous applications in various skin related inflammation conditions such as burn wounds, wound healing, anti-aging, psoriasis, as well as in removal of scar.

The literature reports suggested that studies conducted by various researchers start exploring the utilization of egg oil and their published results provide a compelling explanation to unravel newer, safer, rich oil obtained from natural source in the form of egg oil.

The clinical trials of egg oil are still undergoing yet being edible and natural, it is safe to use. Hence it can be explored further and may be incorporated in various topical formulations such as emulsions, liposomes, and, nanoparticles for assorted conditions of the skin.

At the end, it was concluded that there is a need for all pharmaceutical scientists, manufacturers, researchers and dermatologists to join hands and develop some commercially viable safe and effective topical products enriched with egg oil for the benefits of patients suffering from topical health conditions.

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT:

All the authors report no conflict of interest.

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Received on 31.06.2019 Modified on 18.07.2019

Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2019; 12(9):4589-4594.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00789.3

Product Name	Uses	Composition	Suppliers
Tala ant oil	Removal of unwanted hairs from the skin	Glyceryl stearate, ceteareth 12, ceteareth-20, cetyl palmitate, cetearyl alcohol, herbal extract, hexyldecanol and hexyldecyl laurate, dicaprylyl carbonate, glyceryl monostearate, glycerin, propyl glycol, and dimethicone, etc.	Acus Marketing (Azad market, New Delhi)
Eyova egg oil	Treat hair loss, dandruff, grey and fizzy hair.	Essential fatty acids, cholesterol and antioxidant	VAV Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, Maharashtra, India
Halo Shampoo	Hair softener and provides shine to dry hair	Sodium laureth sulfate, guar hydroxypropyl, sodium chloride, PEG-12 dimethicon, egg protein, and citric acid	Colgate Palmolive, (India) limited, Mumbai – 400076, M.G. shahani and CO. (Delhi) ltd., 30, Dehradun.