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appropriate length (Isaacs et al., 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992; Thormar 1986, 1990, 1991; Thormar et al., 1987; Wang and Johnson, et al., 1987). 1992). Some of the viruses inactivated by these lipids, in addition to Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased pro- HIV, are the measles virus, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), duction of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 was shown with 150 mg vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), visna virus and cytomegalovirus monolaurin per litre (Holland et al., 1994). Monolaurin was (CMV). Many of the pathogenic organisms reported to be inacti- shown to be 5,000 times more inhibitory against Listeria monocy- vated by these antimicrobial lipids are those known to be respon- togenes than is ethanol (Oh and Marshall, 1993). Helicobacter sible for opportunistic infections in HIV-positive individuals. For pylori was rapidly inactivated by medium-chain monoglycerides example, concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus is recognised and lauric acid, and there appeared to be very little development as a serious complication for HIV- of resistance of the organism to the P. g positive individuals (Macallan et al., bactericidal effects of these natural 1993). antimicrobials (Petschow et al., Thus, it would appear to be impor- 1996). tant to investigate the practical A number of fungi, yeast and proto- aspects and the Potential benefits of Components of coconut oil, Zot mae been ound be inactivated an adjunct nutritional support regi- . . or killed by lauric acid or monolaurin. men for HIV-infected individuals, such as lauric acid, are The fungi include several species of which will utilise those dietary fats increasingly being shown ringworm (Isaacs et al., 1991). The that are sources of known antiviral, b b fi ° | yeast reported is Candida albicans antimicrobial and antiprotozoal to be beneficial. (Isaacs et al., 1991). The protozoan monoglycerides and fatty acids such as monolaurin and its precursor, lau- ric acid. parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by free fatty acids and monoglycerides from hydrolysed human milk (Hernell Until now, no one in the main- et al., 1986; Reiner et al., 1986; stream nutrition community seems to Crouch et al., 1991; Isaacs et al., have recognised the added potential of antimicrobial lipids in the 1991). Numerous other protozoa were studied with similar find- treatment of HIV-infected or AIDS patients. These antimicrobial ings, but these have not yet been published (Jon J. Kabara, private fatty acids and their derivatives are essentially nontoxic to man; communication, 1997). they are produced in vivo by humans when they ingest those com- Research continues in measuring the effects of the monoglyc- monly available foods that contain adequate levels of medium- eride derivative of capric acid, monocaprin, as well as the effects chain fatty acids such as lauric acid. According to the published of lauric acid. Chlamydia trachomatis is inactivated by lauric research, lauric acid is one of the best "inactivating" fatty acids, acid, capric acid and monocaprin (Bergsson et al., 1998). and its monoglyceride is even more effective than the fatty acid Hydrogels containing monocaprin are potent in vitro inactivators alone (Kabara, 1978; Sands et al., 1978; Fletcher et al., 1985; of sexually transmitted viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1 and Kabara, 1985). bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Thormar, 1999). The lipid-coated (enveloped) viruses are dependent on host lipids for their lipid constituents. The variability of fatty acids in Ill. ORIGINS OF THE ANTI-SATURATED FAT, the foods of individuals, as well as the variability from de novo | ANTI-TROPICAL OILS AGENDA synthesis, accounts for the variability of fatty acids in the virus The coconut industry has suffered more than three decades of envelope and also explains the variability of glycoprotein abusive rhetoric from the consumer activist group Centers for expression—a variability that makes vaccine development more difficult. Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable gut bacteria but, —— rather, only on potentially pathogenic Don't SIT micro-organisms. For example, Isaacs et al. on THIS (1991) reported no inactivation of the com- PLANET... mon Escherichia coli or Salmonella enteri- YOU Dor! T KNOW) WHERE IT's BEEN. tidis by monolaurin, but major inactivation of Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and group B gram-positive Streptococcus. The potentially pathogenic bacteria inac- tivated by monolaurin include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, groups A, F and G streptococci, gram-positive organisms, and some gram-negative organisms if pre- treated with a chelator (Boddie and Nickerson, 1992; Kabara, 1978, 1984; Isaacs et al., 1990, 1992, 1994; Isaacs and Schneidman, 1991; Isaacs and Thormar, Components of coconut oil, such as lauric acid, are increasingly being shown to be beneficial. IIL. ORIGINS OF THE ANTI-SATURATED FAT, ANTI-TROPICAL OILS AGENDA The coconut industry has suffered more than three decades of abusive rhetoric from the consumer activist group Centers for Sementh NEXUS ¢ 15 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2002 www.nexusmagazine.com