7.5.8 Antineoplastic Effect
Koschek et al. (2007) studied the anti-neoplastic activity of coconut husk fiber on
human leukemia cells K562 and Lucena 1, by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The cells were treated against MTT at
concentrations of 0, 5, 50, or 500 μg/mL for 48 h. The results showed antitumoral
activity against both leukemia cells K562 and Lucena 1. The variety used in the
study is grown extensively in Brazil, and the husk is usually thrown away as waste
which can be a potential economical source to prepare antineoplastic drugs as well as
solves environmental problems.
7.5.9 Antioxidant Effect
Free radicals are continuously produced in the human body and are causing tissue
damage in many diseases (Levy et al. 1998). The free radicals break phospholipids
present in cell membranes and initiate lipid peroxidation (Ferrari et al. 1992), and it
could lead to atherosclerosis (Eder and Kirchgessner 1997). Apart from this, they
can degrade enzymes, DNA that can lead to cancer (Parthasarathy et al. 1998).
L-arginine and ascorbic acid present in TCW hasveantioxidant activity (Loki and
Rajamohan 2003). VCO showed efficient antioxidant activity in Sprague-Dawley
rats (Nevin and Rajamohan 2006).
The total phenolic content of virgin coconut oil is almost seven times that of
commercial coconut oil as the oil refining process destroys many of the biologically
active components (Seneviratne and Dissanayake 2008) which was evident from the
1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test too (Marina et al. 2009). DPPH radical
scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging, and alkaline dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO) analysis of C. nucifera endocarp extracts showed strong antioxidant
activity.
Coconut water has a good antioxidant activity which was evaluated by administering it in a dose of 6 mL/100 g of body weight to female rats intoxicated with
carbon tetrachloride, and results revealed that lipid peroxidation decreased and
antioxidant enzymes improved their antioxidant power (Loki and Rajamohan
2003). In general, different parts of coconut contain flavonoids and phenolic compounds which showed potential antioxidant activity.
7.5.10 Antiparasitic Effect
Costa et al. (2010) studied the antihelminthic activity of aqueous and butanol extract
of green coconut bark on mouse intestinal nematodes. In this study naturally infected
mice were distributed into six groups as follows: group I (1000 mg/kg) aqueous
7 Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
177
Koschek et al. (2007) studied the anti-neoplastic activity of coconut husk fiber on
human leukemia cells K562 and Lucena 1, by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The cells were treated against MTT at
concentrations of 0, 5, 50, or 500 μg/mL for 48 h. The results showed antitumoral
activity against both leukemia cells K562 and Lucena 1. The variety used in the
study is grown extensively in Brazil, and the husk is usually thrown away as waste
which can be a potential economical source to prepare antineoplastic drugs as well as
solves environmental problems.
7.5.9 Antioxidant Effect
Free radicals are continuously produced in the human body and are causing tissue
damage in many diseases (Levy et al. 1998). The free radicals break phospholipids
present in cell membranes and initiate lipid peroxidation (Ferrari et al. 1992), and it
could lead to atherosclerosis (Eder and Kirchgessner 1997). Apart from this, they
can degrade enzymes, DNA that can lead to cancer (Parthasarathy et al. 1998).
L-arginine and ascorbic acid present in TCW hasveantioxidant activity (Loki and
Rajamohan 2003). VCO showed efficient antioxidant activity in Sprague-Dawley
rats (Nevin and Rajamohan 2006).
The total phenolic content of virgin coconut oil is almost seven times that of
commercial coconut oil as the oil refining process destroys many of the biologically
active components (Seneviratne and Dissanayake 2008) which was evident from the
1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test too (Marina et al. 2009). DPPH radical
scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging, and alkaline dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO) analysis of C. nucifera endocarp extracts showed strong antioxidant
activity.
Coconut water has a good antioxidant activity which was evaluated by administering it in a dose of 6 mL/100 g of body weight to female rats intoxicated with
carbon tetrachloride, and results revealed that lipid peroxidation decreased and
antioxidant enzymes improved their antioxidant power (Loki and Rajamohan
2003). In general, different parts of coconut contain flavonoids and phenolic compounds which showed potential antioxidant activity.
7.5.10 Antiparasitic Effect
Costa et al. (2010) studied the antihelminthic activity of aqueous and butanol extract
of green coconut bark on mouse intestinal nematodes. In this study naturally infected
mice were distributed into six groups as follows: group I (1000 mg/kg) aqueous
7 Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
177