Olive leaf
Encyclopedia
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
tree (Olea europaea). While olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
is well known for its flavor and health benefits, the leaf has been used medicinally in various times and places. Natural olive leaf and olive leaf extracts (OLE), are now marketed as an anti-aging, immunostimulator
Immunostimulator
Immunostimulants, also known as immunostimulators, are substances that stimulate the immune system by inducing activation or increasing activity of any of its components...
and an antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
. Clinical evidence has proven the blood pressure lowering effects of carefully extracted olive leaf extracts. Bioassays support its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory effects at a laboratory level. A liquid extract made directly from fresh olive leaves recently gained international attention when it was shown to have an antioxidant capacity almost double green tea extract and 400% higher than vitamin C.
Active compounds
The primary medical constituents contained in unprocessed olive leaf is believed to be the antioxidantAntioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
s oleuropein
Oleuropein
Oleuropein is a chemical compound found in olive leaf from the olive tree together with other closely related compounds such as 10-hydroxyoleuropein, ligstroside, and 10-hydroxyligstroside. All these compounds are tyrosol esters of elenolic acid that are further hydroxylated and glycosylated...
and hydroxytyrosol
Hydroxytyrosol
Hydroxytyrosol is a phytochemical with antioxidant properties. After gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol is believed to be one of the most powerful antioxidants...
, as well as several other polyphenols and flavonoid
Flavonoid
Flavonoids , are a class of plant secondary metabolites....
s, including oleocanthal
Oleocanthal
Oleocanthal is a natural organic compound isolated from extra virgin olive oil. It is responsible for the slightly peppery "bite" of extra virgin olive oil. Oleocanthal is a tyrosol ester and its chemical structure is related to oleuropein that is also found in olive oil.Oleocanthal has been found...
.
Nutritional and medicinal uses
Olive leaves and its extracts are used in the complementary and alternative medicine community for the presumed ability to act as a natural pathogens killer by inhibiting the replication process of many pathogens.Olive leaf is commonly used to fight colds and flu, yeast infections, and viral infections such as the hard-to-treat Epstein-Barr disease, shingles and herpes. Olive leaf has been shown to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
. Researchers have found that olive leaf lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow by relaxing the arteries.
Recent research has shown that olive leaf extracts may reduce infarct volume, brain edema
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
, blood-brain barrier permeability, and improve neurological deficit scores after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
).
Olive leaf harbours antioxidant
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
properties that help protect the body from the continuous activity of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, when oxidized, can cause cellular damage if left unchecked. Some recent research on the olive leaf has shown its antioxidants to be effective in treating some tumors and cancers such as liver, prostate, colon, skin and breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, clinical studies lacking, Olive leaf is especially potent when used in combination with other antioxidants. available on http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Biological-Evaluation-Jordanian-Leaves/dp/3639350219/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1/192-1518475-6728137
Olive leaf can be taken as a liquid concentrate, dried leaf tea, powder, or capsule. The leaf extracts can be taken in powder, liquid concentrate, or capsule form though the fresh-picked leaf liquid extracts are quickly gaining popularity due to the broader range of healing compounds they contain.