After conducting experiments for months, researchers from the Philippines found that virgin coconut oil can help to destroy the novel Coronavirus.
Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) said that the results of their experiment are very promising. According to him, it not only showed that virgin coconut oil can destroy the SARS-CoV-2 but also has a key mechanism in upregulating the immune response against the Coronavirus caused disease, COVID-19.
Now, the scientists have decided to look forward to the results of clinical trials on the various usage of the virgin coconut oil as an adjunct for the treatment of COVID-19.
A Helpful Product
The research which was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), involved the studies of the compounds from coconut oil and virgin coconut oil. As a result, the officials noticed that the compounds decreased the Coronavirus count by 60 to 90 percent at low viral load. The scientists also found that the compounds were observed to improve cell survival.
But as per the PCHRD, more research is required to determine whether a higher concentration of the compounds would further reduce the replication rate of the novel Coronavirus or not.
Clinical Trails
The researchers have completed the clinical trials of virgin coconut oil—involving 56 patients—at a hospital in Laguna, a province in the southeast of Manila.
As per the Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that the research findings related to virgin coconut oil as a potential antiviral antigen may get published by the second week of November. He also said that patients involved in the trial were released from the hospital and their condition didn't deteriorate—it is a "good indication"—even though these people were suspected and mild COVID-19 cases.
However, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is now conducting a clinical trial to determine how useful virgin coconut oil would be in treating severe patients with Coronavirus infection.
