A Systematic Review on the Efficacy of Coconut Oil as a Clearing Agent in Histopathology

Abstract

Xylene, the most widely used clearing agent, is applied in the histopathological section for tissues. However, Xylene has toxic effects that may harm laboratory personnel and the environment. This systematic review aims to determine the efficacy of coconut oil as an alternative medium for Xylene. Six research studies were included in this systematic review retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, and Research Gate. The researchers have discovered that coconut oil-treated specimens demonstrate the same characteristics with Xylene-treated specimens without affecting its histopathological details. Based on the data gathered, coconut oil showed increased performance in translucency compared to Xylene and an equal performance after completing impregnation. Similar characteristics were also noticed in coconut oil-treated specimens and Xylene-treated specimens in terms of staining. In the process of sectioning, coconut oil-treated specimens appear to be softer than Xylene which makes it slightly difficult to thinly cut the tissues. Specimens treated with coconut oil also appeared to be less rigid than the specimens treated with Xylene. However, coconut oil still demonstrates comparable characteristics to Xylene, making it an efficient alternative as a clearing agent in histopathology.