Effect of virgin coconut oil, lauric acid and myristic acid on serum and prostatic markers of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Purpose: To investigate the effect of virgin coconut oil, lauric acid and myristic acid on serum and prostatic androgens in testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia.Methods: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was induced in the animals by repeated subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate (5 mg/kg) at the inguinal region once a day for 28 days. Thereafter, BPH was treated for 56 days by oral administration of virgin coconut oil, lauric acid and myristic acid. Following the treatment period, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected through cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis.Results: Virgin coconut oil, lauric acid and myristic acid led to a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in serum prostatic acid phosphatase (PAcP), prostate specific antigen (PSA) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, and also in prostatic DHT level.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that virgin coconut oil, lauric acid and myristic acid may be useful in the management of BPH because they exerted some anti-proliferative effects in the development and progression of BPH. Therefore, coconut may be a potential functional food for the management of BPH patients because it is rich in both lauric and myristic acid. However, further investigations, including clinical trials are required to buttress this.