Compendium of the most significant studies with reference to properties, intake, effects.

Martínez de Murguía Fernández L, Puig Algora G, Bajona Roig M, Bacchini G. Effectiveness and tolerability of a squalane and dimethicone-based treatment for head lice. Parasitol Res. 2021 May;120(5):1883-1890. doi: 10.1007/s00436-021-07113-y. 

Abstract. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro efficacy of a newly developed squalane and dimethicone-based pediculicidal formula, against motile head lice and eggs after 2 and 5 min immersion in the product, as well as its skin tolerance and acceptability under dermatological and pediatric expert control in children with atopic skin.

Kim SK, Karadeniz F. Biological importance and applications of squalene and squalane. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2012;65:223-33. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-416003-3.00014-7.

Abstract.  According to promising results from recent studies, squalene and squalane are considered important substances in practical and clinical uses with a huge potential in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.

Hilgers LA, Lejeune G, Nicolas I, Fochesato M, Boon B. Sulfolipo-cyclodextrin in squalane-in-water as a novel and safe vaccine adjuvant. Vaccine. 1999 Jan 21;17(3):219-28. doi: 10.1016/s0264-410x(98)00195-9.

Abstract.  In this paper, effects of type of polysaccharide and nature of oil on adjuvanticity, reactogenicity and stability are described. 

Adlington K, El Harfi J, Li J, Carmichael K, Guderian JA, Fox CB, Irvine DJ. Molecular Design of Squalene/Squalane Countertypes via the Controlled Oligomerization of Isoprene and Evaluation of Vaccine Adjuvant Applications. Biomacromolecules. 2016 Jan 11;17(1):165-72. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b01285.

Abstract. Following on from our previous work regarding the synthesis of poly(isoprene) oligomers, we demonstrate the ability to tune the molecular weight of the synthetic poly(isoprene) material beyond that of natural squalene, while retaining a final backbone structure that contained a minimum of 75% of 1,4 addition product and an acceptable polydispersity.

Allison AC. Squalene and squalane emulsions as adjuvants. Methods. 1999 Sep;19(1):87-93. doi: 10.1006/meth.1999.0832.

Abstract. Microfluidized squalene or squalane emulsions are efficient adjuvants, eliciting both humoral and cellular immune responses. 

Salvador-Castell M, Golub M, Erwin N, Demé B, Brooks NJ, Winter R, Peters J, Oger PM. Characterisation of a synthetic Archeal membrane reveals a possible new adaptation route to extreme conditions. Commun Biol. 2021 Jun 2;4(1):653. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02178-y.

Abstract. Here, we have studied the effect of the apolar polyisoprenoid squalane on a model membrane analogue using neutron diffraction, SAXS and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Pandarus V, Ciriminna R, Béland F, Pagliaro M, Kaliaguine S. Solvent-Free Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Squalene to Squalane. ACS Omega. 2017 Jul 26;2(7):3989-3996. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.7b00625. 

Abstract. Now that phytosqualene biotechnologically derived from sugarcane or extracted from olive oil milling residues is replacing squalene of animal origin, these findings will further contribute to lowering the cost and increasing the availability of high-quality squalane.

Hauss T, Dante S, Dencher NA, Haines TH. Squalane is in the midplane of the lipid bilayer: implications for its function as a proton permeability barrier. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2002 Dec 2;1556(2-3):149-54. doi: 10.1016/s0005-2728(02)00346-8.

Abstract. A recently proposed model for proton leakage across biological membranes [Prog. Lipid Res. 40 (2001) 299] suggested that hydrocarbons specifically in the center of the lipid bilayer inhibit proton leaks. Since cellular membranes maintain a proton electrochemical gradient as a principal energy transducer, proton leakage unproductively consumes cellular energy.