Coconut oil may relieve symptoms of pneumonia

PHILADELPHIA—Virgin coconut oil, in addition to antibiotic therapy, may help relieve the symptoms of community-acquired pneumonia in children faster than antibiotic therapy alone, according to a new study presented Oct. 30 during the American College of Chest Physicians.

Children who received coconut oil therapy along with antibiotics had fewer crackles (a wheezing sound in the lungs), a shorter time with an elevated respiratory rate and fever, better oxygen saturation in the blood and shorter hospital stays, the study said.

Lead study author Gilda Sapphire Erguiza, M.D., a pediatric pulmonologist at the Philippine Children's Medical Center in Quezon City researcher hypothesized that coconut oil may boost ampicillin's effectiveness because it contains lauric acid, which is known to have antimicrobial properties.

One expert said the findings aren't definitive, however. "This is a very interesting but small study. The jury's still out as to whether there's a real benefit here," said Dr. Daniel Rauch, director of the pediatric hospitalist program at New York University Langone Medical Center.

Source:

HealthDay News: Coconut Oil May Help Fight Childhood Pneumonia