Monolaurin and Gastritis
A Literature Review of Stomach Ulcers (caused by H. Pylori) and Monolaurin
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Monolaurin &
Gastritis
An ulcer is a sore area or a hole in the lining of the stomach. Ulcers of the stomach and the small intestine are mostly caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori), and they can affect people from any age group (Ref #1). Gastritis is a disease that causes ulcers in the stomach through inflammation in the inner lining of the stomach. It can be caused by various factors including excessive consumption of alcohol or a normal dose of some medications like anti-inflammatory drugs.
Symptoms of Gastritis
The most common symptom is the pain in the upper abdomen area. When the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed, a burning sensation can be felt in this area of the body as it is in direct contact with the stomach. Patients may experience this pain in the early hours of the morning, on an empty stomach, and between meals. This pain may be relieved by using antacids, but not always. Accompanying symptoms can include hiccups, upset stomach, indigestion, vomiting and no appetite for days (Ref #2).
A diagnosis of an H. Pylori infection may take a long time, as doctors tend to omit these specific tests or assume that an ulcer is responsible for the overgrowth of the bacteria.
Monolaurin Research and H. Pylori Bacteria
Monolaurin is a medium chain fatty acid that can be extracted from coconut oil and has been shown in studies to possess antibacterial properties (Ref #3). According to some laboratory studies, monolaurin may kill H. Pylori bacteria, and in turn may be considered as a potential supplement for gastritis.
Studies suggest monolaurin displays a strong anti-bacterial behavior against H. pylori as compared to other chemicals. One study (Ref #4) showed that monolaurin was the most effective of the fatty acids and monoglycerides tested in the killing of H. Pylori. Furthermore, the results were not impacted by pH, suggesting that monolaurin might work in the harsh acidic environment of the stomach.
"The bactericidal action of monolaurin was not pH-dependent. The bactericidal potencies of unsaturated FAs increased with degree of unsaturation. When more than one fatty acid (FA) or FA plus monoglycerides (MGs) were present, their combined action was additive. Urea and endogenous urease did not protect H. pylori from the bactericidal action of FAs. These results suggest that H. pylori present in the stomach contents (but not necessarily within the mucus barrier) should be rapidly killed by the millimolar concentrations of FAs and MGs that are produced by pre-intestinal lipase(s) acting on suitable triglycerides such as milk fat." (Ref #4)
A further study (Ref #5) shows that H. pylori is rapidly inactivated by medium-chain monoglycerides and lauric acid (the foundation of monolaurin) and exhibits a relatively low frequency of spontaneous development of resistance to the bactericidal activity of monolaurin. Monolaurin was shown to be bactericidal agsint H. Pylori bacteria in as little as 15 minutes at neutral or acidic pHs.
“Lauric acid (C12:0) was the only medium-chain saturated free fatty acid (FFA) with bactericidal activity against H. pylori. The monoacylglycerol esters (MGs) and FFAs were bactericidal after incubation for as little as 15 min at neutral or acidic pHs. Higher levels of MGs and FFAs were required for bactericidal activity in the presence of higher amounts of protein in liquid diets. We also found that the frequency of spontaneous development of resistance by H. pylori was higher for metronidazole and tetracycline (10(-5) to 10(-6)) than for C10:0 MG, C12:0 MG, and C12:0 FFA (< 10(-8)). Collectively, our data demonstrate that H. pylori is rapidly inactivated by medium-chain MGs and lauric acid and exhibits a relatively low frequency of spontaneous development of resistance to the bactericidal activity of MGs." (Ref #5)
Monolaurin does not appear to harm any useful gut bacteria. A research study in 2004 conducted through the Georgetown University Medical Centre of Washington DC suggested that Monolaurin might be very useful in addressing some infections, as it is a safe compound that can be combined with other antibiotics as well (Ref #6).
“Monolaurin was cidal to S. aureus and M. terrae but not to E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Unlike the other two gram-negative organisms, H. pylori were extremely sensitive to monolaurin. Because of their longstanding safety record, origanum and/or monolaurin, alone or combined with antibiotics, might prove useful in the prevention and treatment of severe bacterial infections, especially those that are difficult to treat and/or are antibiotic resistant.” (Ref #6)
Conclusion
Monolaurin has been studied for it’s potential health impact on microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria in laboratory settings. Published in vitro research has suggested monolaurin may possess antibacterial properties, as it has expressed the potential to inactivate bacteria in laboratory studies. Review more research about monolaurin in the Essential Guide to Monolaurin. Like all dietary supplements, monolaurin should be considered and administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
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References
Kusters JG, van Vliet AHM, Kuipers EJ. Pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori Infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2006;19(3):449-490. doi:10.1128/CMR.00054-05. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1539101/
IQWiG (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care) June 28, 2018 Accessed athttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0078820/
Bergsson G, Steingrímsson O, Thormar H. Bactericidal effects of fatty acids and monoglycerides on Helicobacter pylori. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2002 Oct;20(4):258-62. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12385681
Sun CQ, O'Connor CJ, Roberton AM. Antibacterial actions of fatty acids and monoglycerides against Helicobacter pylori. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2003 May 15;36(1-2):9-17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12727360
Petschow BW, Batema RP, Ford LL. Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to bactericidal properties of medium-chain monoglycerides and free fatty acids. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996 Feb;40(2):302-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8834870
Preuss HG, Echard B. Enig M. Brook I, Elliott TB. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of herbal essential oils and monolaurin for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry April 2005, Volume 272, Issue 1–2, pp 29–34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-005-6604-1