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Technical information on Lauricidin®
(monolaurin) for the Health Professional
The antiviral, antibacterial, and
antiprotozoal properties of lauric acid and monolaurin have
been recognized for nearly three decades by only a small
number of researchers: their work, however, has resulted in 50
or more research papers an numerous U.S. and foreign patents.
Prof. Dr. Jon J. Kabara performed the original seminal
research in this area of fat research. Kabara (1968) first
patented certain fatty acids (FAs) and their derivatives
(e.g., monoglycerides (MGs) can have adverse effects on
various microorganisms. While nontoxic and approved as a
direct food additive by the FDA, monolaurin adversely affects
bacteria, yeast, fungi, and enveloped viruses.
Kabara found that the properties that determine the
anti-infective action of lipids are related to their
structure: e.g., free fatty acids & monoglycerides. The
monoglycerides are active; diglycerides and triglycerides
are inactive. Of the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid
has greater antiviral activity than either caprylic acid
(C-8), capric acid (C-10), or myristic acid (C-14).
Fatty acids and monoglycerides produce their
killing/inactivating effects by several mechanisms. An early
postulated mechanism was the perturbing of the plasma membrane
lipid bilayer. The antiviral action attributed to monolaurin
is that of fluidizing the lipids and phospholipids in the
envelope of the virus, causing the disintegration of the
microbial membrane. More recent studies indicate that one
antimicrobial effect in bacteria is related to monolaurin's
interference with signal transduction/toxin formation (Projan
et al 1994). Another antimicrobial effect in viruses is due to
lauric acid's interference with virus assembly and viral
maturation (Hornung et al 1994). The third mode of action may
be on the immune system itself (Witcher et al, 1993).
Hierholzer and Kabara (1982) first reported the antiviral
activity of the monoglyceride of lauric acid (monolaurin) on
viruses that affect humans.. They showed virucidal effects of
monolaurin on enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. This work was
done at the Center for Disease Control of the U.S. Public
Health Service. This study was carried out using selected
virus prototypes or recognized representative strains of
enveloped human viruses. All these viruses have a lipid
membrane. The presence of a lipid membrane on viruses makes
them especially vulnerable to lauric acid and its derivative
monolaurin. These initial findings have been confirmed by many
other studies.
Research has shown that enveloped viruses are inactivated by
added fatty acids and monoglycerides in both human and bovine
milk (Isaacs et al 199 1). Others (Isaacs et al 1986, 1990,
1991, 1992; Thormar et al 1987) have confirmed Kabara's
original statements concerning the effectiveness of monolaurin.
Some of the viruses inactivated by these lipids are the
measles virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and -2), herpes
family members (HIV, hepatitis C, vesicular, stomatitis virus
(VSV), visna virus, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Many of the
pathogenic organisms reported to be inactivated by these
antimicrobial lipids are those know to be responsible for
opportunistic infections in HIV -positive individuals. For
example, concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus is
recognized as a serious complication for HIV positive
individuals (Macallan et al 1993).
Thus, it would appear imperative to investigate the practical
aspects and the potential benefit of a nutritional supplement
such as monolaurin (Lauricidin®) for microbial infected
individuals. Until now few nutritionists in mainstream
nutrition community seem to have recognized the added benefit
of antimicrobial lipids in the support of infected patients.
These antimicrobial fatty acids and their derivatives are
essentially nontoxic to man. According to the published
research, lauric acid is one of the best
"inactivating" fatty acids, and its monoglyceride is
even more effective than the fatty acid alone (Kabara 1978,
Sands et al 1978, Fletcher et al 1985, Kabara 1985).
It should be emphasized that lauric acid cannot be taken
orally because it is severally irritating. Lauricidin® on the
other hand, a derivative of lauric acid chemically bonded
to glycerol to form monolaurin, can be taken orally without
any problem.
The lipid-coated (envelope) viruses,
bacteria and other microorganisms are dependent on host lipids
for their lipid constituents. The variability of fatty acids
in the foods of individuals as well as the variability from de
novo synthesis accounts for the variability of fatty acids in
their membranes.
Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on
desirable gut bacteria, but rather on only potentially
pathogenic microorganisms. For example, Isaacs et al (1991)
reported no inactivation of the common Esherichiacoli or
Salmonella enteritidis by monolaurin, but major inactivation
of Hemophilus influenza, Staphylococcus epidermis and Group B
gram positive streptococcus.
The potentially pathogenic bacteria inactivated by monolaurin
include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptococcus agalactiae, Groups A, streptococci-gram-positive
organisms, and some gram-negative organisms (Vibrio
parahaemolyticus and Helicobacter pylori).
Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased
production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-l was shown with
monolaurin (Holland et al 1994). Monolaurin was 5000 times
more inhibitory against Listeria monocytogenes than ethanol
(Oh & Marshall 1993). In vitro monolaurin rapidly
inactivate Helicobacter pylori. Of greater significance there
appears to be very little development of resistance of the
organism to the bactericidal effects (Petschow et al 1996) of
these natural antimicrobials.
A number of fungi, yeast, and protozoa are also inactivated or
killed by monolaurin. The fungi include several species of
ringworm (Isaacs et al 1991). The yeast reported to be
affected is Candida albicans (Isaacs et al 1991) The protozoan
parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by monoglycerides from
hydrolyzed human milk (Hemell et al 1986, Reiner et al 1986,
Crouch et al 1991, Isaacs et al 1991).
Chlamydia trachomatis is inactivated by monolaurin (Bergsson
et al 1998). Hydrogels containing monocaprin/monolaurin are
potent in vitro inactivators of sexually transmitted viruses
such as HSV-2 and HIV-1 and bacteria such as Neisserian
gonorrhea (Thormar 1999).
References can be found (here).
For more details, go to (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
on the internet and search the above references.
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