Alcoholic components of human hair and scalp lipids

The sterol and alcohols of human hair and scalp lipids have been concentrated by saponification and chromatography of the unsaponifiable portion over alumina; the alcoholic components (Fraction V) were eluted from the column by means of absolute methanol. For one large batch of lipids (CF-45E), Fraction V was filtered from solid and the resulting rectified oil dissolved in n-hexane, chromatographed over partially spent silica gel (activity: 20) and the column eluted with benzene, chloroform, 1-butanol and methanol. By this method, separation of high and low-molecular weight components and polar materials was afforded. The alcohols were converted to the acetates and analyzed by gas chromatography. A proximate analysis of sterol and alcohols is summarized in Table V. The distribution of fatty alcohols in Fractions V from lipids collected according to sex, race and scalp condition was rather consistent from pool to pool and no unequivocal differences could be attributed to any particular category though a few discrepancies were apparent. Thus, an irregularity was noted in the C20 component from two pools and branched C14 and C16 alcohols could not be detected in yet another one.