LymeNet Flash: Study: Monolaurin and Oil of Oregano are Antibiotic

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Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :

Hi everyone,

I've been a huge fan of the supplement Monolaurin for decades for EBV, HHV6, etc.

(There is a great deal of information on the Internet about its effectiveness against herpes-type viruses including shingles).

I've also used Oil of Oregano on and off during Lyme.

Here's a new study that helps confirm the antibiotic properties of both.

What I find interesting is that Monolaurin (from coconuts) has long been touted as a natural anti-viral, but this is the first I've read about it's use against bacteria.

Excerpt from Article about Study (I'll try to break up in easier spacing):

A team of researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center seeking new, safe, effective antimicrobial agents tested herbal essential oils,

including oil of origanum, and monolaurin (a form of fatty acid found in breast milk and coconut).

The results?

Origanum (derived from oregano) killed five out of six organisms

- Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Helicobacter Pylori, and Mycobacteriium terrae - in test tubes.

With the sixth organism, Bacillus anthracis Sterne, origanum had a static effect:

It slowed growth, which would allow a host's immune system to destroy the bacteria.

Monolaurin was effective in vitro against S. Aureus, H. pylori, and M. terrae.

Similar to the orignaum, monolaurin had a static effect on B. anthracis Sterne.

"Origanum and/or monolaurin, alone or combined with antibiotics, might prove useful in the prevention of severe bacterial infections,

especially those that are difficult to treat and/or are antibiotic resistant." conclude the researchers.

Study source:
"Minimum inhibitory concentrations of herbal essential oils and monolaurin for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria" by H.G. Preuss at al, Mol Cell Biochem, 4/05.

Jill

Posted by SForsgren (Member # 7686) on :

I am taking monolaurin now for keeping any viral issues under control. I know that Dr. K uses it for patients that test well with ART on it.

Posted by micul (Member # 6314) on :

Oil of Oregano has always worked well for me, depending on which brand and what strength, but mono was dissappointing...didn't do much of anything even when used with oregano.

Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :

I took monolaurin for many months. It is effective against h.pylori and a host of other infections. Here is the research that I did on it.
http://www.webshopemporium.com/monolaurin.htm

I'll paste this study in here since it relates to bacteria and monolaurin:
Bactericidal effects of fatty acids and monoglycerides on Helicobacter pylori.

Bergsson G, Steingrimsson O, Thormar H.

Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, Grensasvegur 12, 108, Reykjavik, Iceland. [email protected]

The susceptibility of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori to fatty acids and monoglycerides was studied. None of the lipids showed significant antibacterial activity against Salmonella spp. and E. coli but eight of 12 lipids tested showed high activity against H. pylori, monocaprin and monolaurin being the most active. The high activity of monoglycerides against H. pylori suggests that they may be useful as active ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations.

PMID: 12385681 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :

Thanks everyone for your added information.

I first became introduced to Monolaurin when I had chronic fatigue syndrome in the 1980s and I felt it was a strong weapon against the viruses that had activated within me.

Now I've put myself back on it, with my LLMD's blessing, due to virus reactivation with Lyme.

I guess I had always read about it in terms of viruses, so I had not paid attention to its use for h. pylori, etc. It's always nice to have some natural remedies for all these pathogens!

Thanks,
Jill

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Thanks for motivating me to go take my Lauricidin. I get lax sometimes!!

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

Thanks for posting this Jill E. [Smile]

I bought a real coconut recently & it was really hard to open it. [bonk]

My question is can you get as much from eating raw or would you have to say, eat 5 coconuts a day to get whats in the monolaurin?

Can I ask where you get the monolaurin? Is that a brand name or the name of a supp?

Thanks & sorry to have too many questions

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

It would be alot easier to buy the Lauricidin. It probably has more of the monolaurin in it than a coconut.

That fresh coconut is sounding good to me right now!!

I think my mom always used a hammer to open one.

Try this:

www.lauricidin.com

It's easy to take and not that expensive.

Posted by farah (Member # 8496) on :

Virgin coconut oil is the best food source for monolaurin. It has to be unrefined and cold pressed to preserve the monolaurin in the proper form.

Farah

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

I take that too! Great for the skin as well!

Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :

I do use the unrefined coconut oil when I can - I'm trying to incorporate it more and more.

But to make sure I'm getting Monolaurin on a regular basis, I use the Ecological Formulas brand of Monolaurin (I buy at Vitamin Shoppe but you can find at health food stores, online, etc)

But as posted above, Lauricidin is a patented brand - I believe that's what most of the studies were done with.

Basically, Monolaurin is Lauric Acid. I think Lauricidin claims to be a particular form - it's been a while since I visited the website but it was informative.

Jill

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

Thanks Jill, lymetoo & farah

for the additional information [Smile]

Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :

http://www.lauricidin.com/micro.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/testimonials.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/tech_data.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/mothers_milk.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/lauricidin_coconut.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/dosing.htm

http://www.lauricidin.com/faq.htm

Posted by ashleygait (Member # 10398) on :

Hi Jill--may I ask you how long you took the oil of oregano for and how helpful you found it with the lyme's? It's great for candida too--did you notice a lot of die off from it? One drop sends me for a loop every time!! [Eek!]

Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ashleygait:
Hi Jill--may I ask you how long you took the oil of oregano for and how helpful you found it with the lyme's? It's great for candida too--did you notice a lot of die off from it? One drop sends me for a loop every time!!

Yes, I definitely noticed die-off - I have no idea if it was Lyme or candida or both, but I felt like my brain was herxing!!

I'd have to go back through my old records - I was probably on it for a few months.

I had to stop all supplements and everything for many months due to liver problems from Ketek, and I just haven't worked the oil of oregano back into my program yet. I have to add one thing at a time, have my liver enzymes tested, then add another.

Jill

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

Wanted to pull this up & see if anyone is on Dr. T's viral protocal ~ (link posted by terryK)

Basically it say to take first week: 9 monolaurin tabs a day & 1,500 lysine 2XDay. Then second week back down to 6 mono tabd & lysine. I am only on my 4th day so far.

I am getting slammed & wondered if it is a side effect from taking so many supps or a die off.

Can you get a viral die off & herx from it?

I thought maybe if not a viral die off taking so much monolaurin can maybe hit a candida die off?

perplexed
dana

Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :

I don't know if viruses can cause a herx reaction but don't forget that monolaurin is also anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoal.

As you say, it could be hitting yeast which we know can cause a die off reaction but also could be be hitting bacteria, protozoa (perhaps babesia??) which is thought to cause a herx reaction etc.. I'm sure that all of the various organisms that monolaurin kills have not been described because they are as yet not studied and perhaps not even discovered yet.

Terry

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

Thanks TerryK [kiss]

I didn't know it was anti-bacterial/protozoa as well. I guess it could be hitting just about everything then.

Seems like a heavfty dose too at 9 caps of monolaurin a day = (2,700 mg)
& 3000 lysine. Yikes, that seems like a lot.

Really appreciate the extra info alot,
Thanks again [Smile]

Dana

Posted by Julz (Member # 12678) on :

What brand and how and how much do you take the iol of oregano??

Thanks

Julz

Posted by Julz (Member # 12678) on :

What brand and how and how much do you take the oil of oregano??

Thanks

Julz

Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :

I have had experience with both oil of oregano and Lauricidin (monolaurin pellets)/

First, oil of oregano was great for getting rid of Montezuma's revenge I contacted in Mexico some years ago. It did take two weeks to fully go away, but my friends had to take Cipro. (I can't tolerate Cipro) I took the drops under my tongue and quickly followed by water. The drops don't seem so concentrated anymore, but I would think you would just take more of the stuff. It's awful tasting and burns, but it does the trick.

I still have my jar of Lauricidin I purchased 7 years ago when I first came down with CFS. I tried and tried to take the stuff, but a pellet or two made me so sick. My CFS doc pooh poohed the idea of me taking them, so I didn't put up with them long. I didn't believe in herxing then, but considering I'm herxing on Cumanda now, I've changed my tune.

It's good to hear that Lauricidin is really helping people. Maybe, I should give it another look.

Thanks for the info.

CherylSue

Posted by klutzo (Member # 5701) on :

Just want to point out that Mastic Gum will kill H. Pylori in two weeks. It is very safe.

Be careful with oregano oil. It can be hard on the tummy. I had a lot of acidy burping from it.

Klutzo

Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :

Hi Jill,
I remember before I was diagnosed a family member told me to take oil of oregano "it kills everything" she said, so I did.

My pain increased so much, so I quit! Later I realized I had a herx on it.

Now I am a big fan of it.

Thanks for the info!
Dana

Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :

Do you take Dr Teitelbaum's recommended dosage of 6 capsules (sorry don't know the dosage, but it's in a post I did after this which no one ha responded to) on an empty stomach the first week?

Or do you take one twice a day with meals?

Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :

sorry, I was referring to the monolaurin

Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :

Marz -
Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's Treatment Protocol for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome recommends the following:

"Take 9 capsules once a day on an empty stomach for 1 week, followed by 6 capsules once a day for 20 days. Take lysine 1500 mg twice a day while on Monolaurin."

http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3346

Terry

Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :

Thanks Terry. What I'm wondering is if it will only work that way? does anyone do just 1 twice a day with food as on la bel?

Does it take longer that way or just ineffective.

Guess I should just go buy another bottle and some lysine and do what he says, right?