Emu oil is an oil rendered from the fat of the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, a bird indigenous to Australia. Emu oil and eucalyptus oil have been used historically in Australian aboriginal traditional medicine for fevers, coughs, minor pain, arthritic joints, bruises, cuts and sores.
Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in color and viscosity, but, assuming the emu has enjoyed a natural diet, is generally a yellow liquid. It is composed of approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1-2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).
A handful of animal studies have suggested that emu oil, applied topically, may have anti-inflammatory properties or promote wound healing in various rodent models. Emu oil is marketed and promoted as a dietary supplement with a wide variety of claimed health benefits.
Commercial emu oil supplements are not standardized and vary widely in their potency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration highlighted emu oil in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud."
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