A unit of publicly listed D and L Industries Inc. on Monday said it had developed a coconut oil product that could prevent spread of certain viruses, and possibly the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Coconut oil experts Dr. Mary Newport of Spring Hill Neonatology and Dr. Fabian Dayrit of Ateneo de Manila University released a report on the potential of coconut oil in fighting viruses.
In their study, they found that lauric acid (C12) and its derivative, monolaurin, have antiviral activities, including the dissolution the cell membrane of the virus, inhibition of virus maturation and prevents it from spreading, and prevents the virus from replicating.
Lauric acid, also found in the regular coconut oil that are used for frying, and monolaurin are known to have antibacterial, antiviral and antipathogenic properties.
The antiviral properties of lauric acid, with its derivative monolaurin, have been recognized for many years. As the lauric acid is ingested by the body, it turns it into monolaurin.
Capric acid (C10), which also comes from coconut oil, has also shown promising activity against other viruses.
According to the study, at least two fatty acids have antiviral properties, the C10 and C12.
“Both C10 and C12 are present in Laurin MCT, a patented formula that contains a 60 percent blend of capric and lauric acids. These valuable fatty acids give your immune system a broader spectrum of protection against bacteria and viruses,” said Dean Lao Jr., Chemrez Technologies Inc. managing director.
Laurin MCT is made locally and developed by Chemrez.
“The proper way to take it is to start with one teaspoon a day and gradually increasing intake to one to three tablespoons a day,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has been encouraging value-adding and processing in the coconut sector as a way of boosting farmers’ income. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said developing more products for the local and global markets will increase the earnings of farmers.
Dar also called for a “one whole nation approach” in building up the local industry. The DA chief issued the statement during the opening program of Coconut Bazaar 2020 held recently at the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) office in Quezon City.
Dar said the one whole nation approach is one of the measures he presented to the President and members of the Cabinet. The initiatives, he said, should be adopted for both raw and value-added products.
He said these measures will help boost farmers’ income, which had declined in recent years due to the drop in copra prices. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the DA noted that coconut production was slightly higher last year, but the value of farmers’ output fell by more than a fifth.
PSA data showed that coconut production rose by 0.4 percent to 14.77 million metric tons. As copra prices were lower, their output in 2019 was valued at P72.07 billion, 21 percent lower than the P91.77 billion recorded in 2018.
With a report from Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
Image credits: Dmitry Ersler | Dreamstime.com