A Filipino-developed virgin coconut oil derivative as cure to the COVID-19 is being tested in Singapore as the dreaded coronavirus continues to spread across the world and while researchers, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and medical institutions are scrambling to create a vaccine and are pitching in to find a cure to stop the dreaded coronavirus.

After Ateneo de Manila University professor Dr. Fabian Antonio Dayrit published his research at the end of January 2020 on the potential of the antiviral activity of coconut oil’s lauric acid and monolaurin to cure viruses such as what was then known as the novel coronavirus (nCoV), the Philippine government announced it was sending samples for testing in Singapore.

The Ateneo study found evidence that suggests coconut oil and its derivatives have effective anti-viral compounds, based on several in vitro studies that support the potential of coconut oil, lauric acid and its derivatives as effective and safe agents against a virus such as what is now known as the Coronavirus Disease-2019 COVID-19.

The Philippines is now working with the National University of Singapore which has agreed to do more studies and is looking at the efficacy of virgin coconut oil against COVID-19, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing in Malacañang on February 24.

“We have heard very good studies with regard to its ability to neutralize the viruses, but for the COVID- 19, it is not clear,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in an interview with CNN Philippines confirming the collaboration with Singapore.

As we await the results of the Singapore tests, more research projects from the Philippines continue to search for ways to address the COVID-19 outbreak which has caused the raising of a public health emergency status for the nation after a local transmission case was reported and the confirmed COVID-19 cases rising to 24 over the weekend.

Another candidate worthy to look at is the Tawa-Tawa-based anti-viral dengue drug, being developed by the Department of Science and Technology and the De La Salle Univerisity Medical and Health Sciences Institute in Cavite, which has already proven to have anti-viral activity.

The country’s Agriculture chief also recently listed malunggay, tomatoes, local fruits, veggies that help fight off infections like the COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health has developed a COVID-19 test kit that is awaiting release for use in the country.

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