The Hindu : Kerala News : `Tender coconut water helps prevent heart attacks'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 04, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

`Tender coconut water helps prevent heart attacks'

By R. Ramabhadran Pillai

KOCHI, SEPT. 3. Tender coconut water is found to have properties for preventing heart attacks, according to a study conducted by a scientist, P. Anurag. The studies were conducted in rabbits and rats, according to him.

Mr. Anurag, holding a doctorate degree in Biochemistry, is now doing research in Kobe University, Japan.

The medicinal values of tender coconut water have been mentioned in Ayurvedic texts, but no scientific studies have been conducted to prove the same. This had prompted him to undertake the research project under T. Rajamohan, Professor of Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala.

Tender coconut water is used as a dehydration agent. It is also administered as `drip' in medical cases in some countries like the Philippines, according to him.

Heart attack conditions were induced in rabbits and rats. Tender coconut water was given to some of them over a period of time. The resultant effect was that the heart disease symptom was reduced in the latter.

Studies conducted in western countries have established that `arginine', an amino acid, has properties that prevent heart disease by dissolving the haemostatic (clotting) substance present in blood. Cholesterol levels were found less in rats fed with tender coconut water, Mr. Anurag said. Due to the `antithrombotic' properties of Arginine, the clotting substance is converted into nitric oxide, according to him.

Protects hearts

The tender coconut water has protective effect on liver as well, says Sandhya V.G., Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala. It is used as a medication for urinal infection. It has also been found to improve fertility in cases where it has been affected by smoking, etc. In fact, the tender coconut water is detoxifying the body in these cases, according to her. Liver, being the largest gland in the body, controls metabolic actions such as excretion and storing of vitamins.

The researcher conducted experiments on white rats. Carbon tetrachloride, an industrial pollutant, was induced into the body of the rats. Some of them were fed with tender coconut water. After 30 days, it was found that the liver of those rats given tender coconut water were functioning well while toxicity remained in others.

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