PawPawResearch
Note: Although the lice remover shampoo with the
pawpaw was considered effective, safe, and successful, the
original manufacturer discontinued that product and
it is no longer available. If you wish to make your own,
they have made their recipe available. Use our contact
form to request this recipe.
PawPaw Lice Remover Shampoo
(Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology
Commercialization)
PawPaw Research Results in New Product
It is estimated that as many as 25 million people in the US, 10
million of these children, become infested with Pediculus humanus
capitas. Although pre-school and elementary-age children seem most
at risk, teenagers and adults can become infected as well.
Symptoms include persistent itching, particularly around the ears,
back of the neck and crown, and associated loss of sleep. Repeat
infestations can intensify skin irritation, increase excessive
scratching, and bring about secondary bacterial infections.
However, the greatest harm associated with head lice may result
from the well-meaning but unwise use of toxic shampoos to
eliminate the lice. In September of 2000, California banned the
use of Lindane, an organo-chlorinated pesticide in the same
chemical family as DDT, which is used in the treatment of head
lice. Among other side effects, Lindane, is thought to cause
seizures. Other products on the marketplace used to treat head
lice also have come under recent scrutiny. Studies indicate that
head lice have become resistant to many existing products
including pyrethrin-based pesticides.
During his more than 25 years of research at Purdue University,
Dr. Jerry McLaughlin identified certain compounds found in the
bark of the pawpaw tree, called annonaceous acetogenins (Patents
4,721,727 and 4,855,319). These compounds are particularly
effective for pesticide-resistant pests. After the compounds are
extracted through a process designed to isolate and concentrate,
they are standardized using a bioassay that Dr. McLaughlin
developed during his years at Purdue as professor of pharmacognosy.
This process ensures that the product has a consistent
concentration of annonaceous acetogenins. Dr. McLaughlin
encountered a struggle in his pursuit to use this research in
product development because there are no commercial sources of
these compounds. In addition, samples can only be collected during
the month of May. Extensive research revealed that the compounds
are capable of controlling a variety of insects and pests and in
2001, they were taken from the lab to the marketplace in the form
of a new product called PawPaw Lice Remover Shampoo manufactured
by Nature's Sunshine Products Inc. (NSP).
There are three stages of head lice infestation. Nits, or eggs,
attach to human hair shafts in the first stage. After seven to 10
days, the nits hatch and nymph lice become visible. In stage
three, the mature lice feed on the scalp and begin laying eggs.
Dr. McLaughlin, now vice president of research, development and
quality assurance, and chief scientific officer for NSP, reports
that the pawpaw product works by targeting the nymphs and adults
and also by loosening the nits on the hair shaft so the nits comb
out easily before they have a chance to hatch.
The product is both safe and successful. Clinical studies proved
that it was effective in removing head lice. In studies conducted
with more than 20 people, the shampoo has proven to be 100 percent
effective in eliminating head lice. Additional tests have proved
the shampoo to be effective in removing lice and their nits when
used according to label instructions. A final clinical trial,
using the optimum shampoo formulation in 16 participants,
demonstrated 100% effectiveness at removing head lice and nits.
NSP's PawPaw Lice Remover Shampoo was introduced to the US
marketplace in 2001 and is now available online at : (www.naturessunshine.com).
The product is based on three technologies that Purdue Research
Foundation's Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC)
successfully licensed to NSP. NSP was founded in 1972 and is based
in Provo, Utah.
Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization: http://www.otc.purdue.edu
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