MONOLAURIN & HERPESVIRUS SORES
This page is not meant to provide medical advice. Monolaurin is discussed with relation to herpesvirus herein due to the fact that there have been many studies over these past 40 years showing that monolaurin has an antiviral effect on numerous viruses. Herpesvirus is responsible for the majority of viral related skin conditions or rashes, and as such herpesvirus has been chosen as the exemplary virus for further discussion.
Note that all referenced monolaurin studies below pertain to studies done in a laboratory setting, with no human testing having been reported. The owners of M... have no relationships, endorsements or affiliation with any of the references listed. The references below are provided for informational purposes only. These may also help you with questions you might have for your doctor.
Herpesvirus is briefly discussed at the bottom of this section for you to become more familiar with the herpesvirus.
We wish you comfort, quick recovery and continued good health from a treatment regimen that provides effective care and relief of any cold sore or herpes‑related flare‑ups.
INDEPENDENT REPORTS ON MONOLAURIN
- Baker, S, et al; Efficacy of breast milk components against microbial pathogens to combat drug-resistance. The Microbe. 2023; Vol: 100010. ISSN 2950-1946 “GML's [i.e., monolaurin] antiviral properties are observed against a range of viruses, including HIV-1 and enveloped viruses, by interfering with viral envelopes and preventing replication. The high levels of GML in human milk suggest its significance in fostering a beneficial infant microbiota, deterring pathogens...” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microb.2023.100010
- Sinead, T, et al; Milk-derived anti-infectives and their potential to combat bacterial and viral infection. J Functional Food. 2021; 81: 104442, ISSN 1756-4646.“Early studies indicated synthetic GML [i.e., monolaurin] to have both antibacterial and antiviral activity” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2021.104442
- Thormar H, et al; Inactivation of enveloped viruses and killing of cells by fatty acids and monoglycerides. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987 Jan;31(1):27-31. doi: 10.1128/AAC.31.1.27. “Antiviral fatty acids [i.e., monolaurin] were found to affect the viral envelope... a complete disintegration of the envelope and the viral particles.”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC174645/
- Wedekind SIS, Shenker NS. Antiviral Properties of Human Milk. Microorganisms. 2021 Mar 31;9(4):715. “Monolaurin has been demonstrated to inactivate multiple viruses”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33807146/
- Validating the inhibitory effect of monolaurin on specific viral strains Author: BenchChem Technical Support Team. Date: December 2025 “monolaurin demonstrates significant potential as a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, particularly against enveloped viruses. Its unique mechanism of action, targeting the viral envelope”
- Glycerol Monolaurate (i.e., monolaurin), an Analogue to a Factor Secreted by Lactobacillus, Is Virucidal against Enveloped Viruses, Including HIV-1 Volume 11, Issue 3, 23 June 2020, American Society of Microbiology “Purified and human milk-derived monoglycerides [e.g, monolaurin] provide antiviral activity against enveloped viruses, including herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S2161212920001585
SHINGLES
Mayo Clinic website on shingles
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/symptoms-causes/syc-20353054
Cleveland Clinic website on shingles
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11036-shingles
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MONOLAURIN - other names
Monolaurin is called by different names, but each one refers to the same molecular compound.
- Glycerol MonoLaurate, typically abbreviated as GML
- Lauricidin®: A trademarked brand name for a monolaurin oral supplement.
The following are rarely found in literature and noted here for reference.
- Glyceryl Laurate
- 1-Lauroyl-Glycerol
- Distilled Monoglyceride
- Glycerin Monolaurate
THERE IS HOPE
If you have a cold sore, or genital herpes, the last well-intentioned words of encouragement you want to hear are: “Don’t worry. It’s not a big deal. Most people get infected by herpes in their life.”
We understand that a cold sore on the lip can be very frustrating and may carry a social stigma. And, how Genital herpes can affect relationships, creating challenges of trust. A good outlook will help the healing. A few positive check points to focus on:
- You can still have a healthy sex life
- You can have children
- You can have great relationships
- You are not a disgusting individual
- You should still believe in your overall self-worth
- You will get through the outbreak and be "you," yourself again
EDUCATE YOURSELF
The best way to develop your treatment is to first research treatment options and understand the methods that may fit your situation best to treat it for the quickest and safest healing cycle.
WARNING! Be careful of social media posts and influencers who tell you to mix your own concoctions. The following cautions are provided so that you can search for more information as you develop your treatment strategy, preferably with a doctor's input.
Hydrocortisone - reduces inflammation and itching, but does not attack the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores, and can reduce the immune response, sometimes making viral replication worse or prolonging healing
Ibuprofen - can burn when applied, crush a pill and mix with other ingredients, can irritate the skin and burn when applied, especially to broken skin and scabs
Alcohol, rubbing alcohol - burns when applied, dries the scab and can extend the healing time
Table salt - burns when applied, may have antiseptic features but irritates broken skin and extends healing time
Ice - Cold numbs nerve endings, so it can reduce pain, burning, and itching for a few minutes, but has no direct effect on the virus and applying ice for too long, which can cause more irritation
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES
Be careful where you get your information. A lot of good information is available covering all aspects of Herpes Simplex Virus infections, both oral (cold sores/ fever blisters) and genital. Instead of rewriting what has already been covered, we suggest the following (no order of importance) as a few good sites you may want to read for more background information.
American Sexual Health Association - good summary of herpes Fast Facts on the following website.
https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/herpes/
CDC (Federal government Center for Disease Control)
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/herpes.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/
Journal of the American Medical Association
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2822474
MedLine Plus (NIH, National Library of Medicine) - Cold Sores (Fever Blisters, Oral Herpes)
https://medlineplus.gov/coldsores.html
MedShun is a blog about medical care. Good statistics and background information.
https://medshun.com/article/is-a-cold-sore-common
At-home test for HSV using PCR swabs.
HERPESVIRUS OVERVIEW
Note that there are 8 different types of herpesviruses that infect humans. Out of these, 3 herpesviruses cause infections that produce blisters on the skin or mucus membranes: As these are the 3 that cause skin sores, the focus herein is on them.
(1) Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 [HSV1]
2) Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 [HSV2]
(3) Varicella-Zoster Virus (herpesvirus type 3) [VZV], also known as Herpes Zoster [HZ]
HSV1 typically causes cold sores/fever blisters on the lip(s). HSV2 typically causes genital herpes sores, although both are able to infect either the lip or genital areas. In fact, HSV1 has recently become the main cause of newly onset genital herpes cases. HSV2 had been the main cause of new genital herpes until recently. HSV2 outbreaks are generally more frequent, more severe, and have a longer duration than HSV1.
VZV causes chickenpox, which occurs most commonly in the child. It is called Herpes Zoster (HZ) when it causes the shingles rash, which is the reemergence of VZV as an adult.
Although these 3 herpesviruses have different presentations when causing an infection, i.e., a skin sore or rash, they have a similar outer viral envelope structure. In that case, it is expected that they would have a similar reaction to detergents or detergent like compounds.
THE KEY STAGES OF A COLD SORE OUTBREAK
The flowchart is a simplified schematic, a rough estimate of a HSV outbreak. Note that any of the stages could be longer or shorter for any particular cold sore outbreak episode. The stages for an outbreak of HSV2 genital herpes are about the same as for a HSV1 cold sore outbreak, however genital outbreaks generally last longer and have more frequent outbreaks than do HSV1 cold sores.