Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Sodium caprylate, the sodium salt of caprylic acid (octanoic acid), is a medium-chain fatty acid derivative known for its antimicrobial properties. Its use in supporting or treating bacterial infections is primarily based on its ability to disrupt microbial cell membranes, leading to cell lysis. Several in vitro studies have demonstrated that caprylic acid and its salts exhibit bactericidal activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by compromising their membrane integrity. This property is exploited in some pharmaceutical and food preservation contexts, where sodium caprylate acts as a preservative or antimicrobial agent. However, the clinical use of sodium caprylate specifically for treating human bacterial infections is limited and not well established in the medical literature. Most of the available evidence comes from laboratory or animal studies rather than robust human clinical trials. Its main medicinal use is more prominent as an excipient in intravenous immunoglobulin preparations, where it helps stabilize the formulation and may provide some antimicrobial protection against contamination. While its antimicrobial mechanism is scientifically plausible, evidence for its effectiveness as a standalone therapeutic agent for bacterial infections in humans is currently insufficient. Therefore, the overall support for its use in treating human bacterial infections is limited, and it should not be considered a primary therapy for such conditions.

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