Accra, Feb 6, GNA- The United States of America has granted a number of patents for the medical uses of coconut oil and its derivatives, Dr Mary G Enig, President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association of the United States (US) has said.

A statement by Dr Enig, who is also a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and Vice President of the Weston Price Foundation in the US, said thirty years ago, Professor Jon J Kabara was granted the first patent.

The statement said this resulted in the production of lauricidin from lauric acid, adding, "lauricidin is being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of genital herpes and hepatitis c".

"In 1989, New England Deaconess Hospital was issued with a patent for "kernel oils and disease treatment", adding that the treatment required lauric acid as the primary fatty acid source.

"In 1991 a patent was issued to C E Isaacs and others for "a method of killing enveloped viruses in a host human..." "In 1995, another patent was issued to Isaacs and others for the use of the mono glycerides and the acids of coconut oil for the inactivation of enveloped viruses.

The statement said the patents provided the owners the licence to extract royalties from commercial manufacturers of mono-glycerides and fatty acids, which are normally derived from coconut oil.

"It is interesting to note that these health promoting medium chain saturated fatty acids are naturally produced in the body when coconut oil is eating in the ordinary daily food", the statement said.