Virgin coconut oil – its methods of extraction, properties and clinical usage: a review: doi: 10.7417/CT.2024.5037

Abstract

The virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a processed edible oil, which is removed from the mature coconuts. It is a colourless water insoluble liquid and obtained by the hot and cold extraction processes. Majorly the nutritional components of VCO are contributed by the lauric acid, which is its main content. VCO has shown its anticancer, antimicrobial, analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Because of these medicinal property, VCO has gained the wider attention among the medical field. Most evidently VCO has shown its potential antioxidant property, because of its phenolic compounds and medium chain fatty acids. It is one of the beneficial compounds used to prevent and treat the oxidative stress induced neurological disorders like stress, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Dietary supplementation of VCO is easy and economical as well as safer in the day to day life among all the age groups. It is also beneficial for the cardiovascular, respiratory, dermatological, reproductive and bone health. It can also be used as a skin applicant in the paediatric age group. Hence, exploration of antioxidant property as well as other beneficial effects of VCO in various health conditions will be valuable.