What is Monolaurin ?
Monolaurin is a wide spectrum anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti -bacterial ingredient.
Monolaurin is the glycerol ester of lauric acid, a 12-carbon chain fatty acid found naturally in breast milk and certain vegetable oils like coconut oil. Coconut oil is a fat consisting of about 90% saturated fat. It is classified as medium-chain fatty acid(MCT) containing:
* 87% saturated fatty acid
* 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and
* 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Of the saturated fatty acids, Coconut oil is primarily composed of almost 50% Lauric Acid.
Lauric acid is a Medium Chain Fatty Acid and has been recognizedas a germicidal agent for centuries. Lauric acid was originally discovered when microbiologists studied human breast milk to determine the antiviral substances which protected infants from microbial infections.
The glyceride ester derivative of Lauric acid is Monolaurin. Antimicrobial activity of lauric acid was found to be superior in its Monolaurin form.
Monolaurin is an anti-microbial agent that helps protect the immune system from wide range of infectious diseases. It has been shown to have anti-viral activity against a number of membraned viruses, including influenza viruses and herpes viruses.