Caprylic acid—the fat from coconut that fights fungi?

Aim of the study: The aim of this human trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of polygalacturonic-caprylic acid (PG-CAP) ointment with MediHoney in chronic wounds at three international medical centres. In this prospective open-label study, patients with chronic full-thickness wounds were randomised to daily treatment with PG-CAP ointment or MediHoney.

Results: Half of the failures in the MediHoney arm were associated with death (15%). No failures, adverse events, or deaths occurred in the PG-CAP arm. PG-CAP wound ointment is a novel combination of two plant-based compounds that pose minimal risk of promoting antimicrobial resistance. It was highly effective in eradicating wound-pathogen biofilms in vitro and promoted chronic wound healing in vivo with minimal inflammatory reactions. Our findings support PG-CAP as safe, noninferior, and possibly more effective than MediHoney in healing chronic contaminated wounds.

Aim of the study: Candida auris is a rapidly spreading, virulent pathogen that is frequently resistant to multiple antifungal drugs. It can form biofilms and infect wounds. Hence, there is a need for C.

Results: MediHoney produced reductions ranging from 2 to 4 log10 without fully eradicating any strains. The differences between PG+CAP and MediHoney were statistically significant (p < 0.05). These results suggest that PG+CAP is a promising antimicrobial ointment that warrants further in vivo study in wounds that may be colonized by C. auris biofilms.

Aim of the study: Candida colonization and biofilms are significant contributors to impaired wound healing. Consequently, improved treatments are needed to eradicate Candida biofilms in wounds.

Results: PG + CAP was superior (p < 0.01) to HOCl in eradicating biofilms of all Candida species except C. auris, for which both treatments fully eradicated all viable organisms. The use of HOCl in Candida-colonized wounds should take into account the amount of extracellular matrix in the wound bed. PG + CAP warrants further study in wounds compromised by Candida biofilms.

Aim of the study: Capric acid and caprylic acid are dietary food components. They have been found to inhibit virulence factors such as morphogenesis, adhesion, and biofilm formation in the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.

Results: Cell cycle studies revealed that capric and caprylic acids arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M and S phases. Targeting virulence factors such as the yeast-to-hypha transition is effective for treating opportunistic fungal infections. This research suggests that both capric and caprylic acids may be effective interventions for treating C. albicans yeast infections.

Aim of the study: The success of endodontic therapy depends on thorough biomechanical preparation and the use of effective intracanal irrigants to achieve a microbe-free canal before obturation. Candida albicans is the most commonly isolated fungus from infected root canals and has a strong affinity for dentin. Because it is resistant to several intracanal medicaments, including calcium hydroxide, alternative antifungal agents are needed.

Results: Goat milk produced the widest inhibition zone, followed by buffalo and cow milk, with significant differences (P < 0.001). Caprylic acid, derived from bovine milk, can serve as a natural, biocompatible alternative to existing intracanal irrigants for controlling fungal infections during endodontic therapy.