Olive leaf was first used medicinally in Ancient Egypt.
Contents
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- Botanical classification of olive leaf.
- Phytochemicals and Constituents:Mechanisms.
- Brief Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract.
- Olive Leaf Extract:the Microbe Fighter:Olive Leaf Extract Natural Defense against Biowarfare Antibacterial Agent and Inactivating Viral Invaders.
- Research Progress and identified Applicaitons Olive Leaves.
- Therapeutic Applications and Administration.
- Olive Leaf Extract as a new formulation choice.
- History of The Olive Tree.
- A Simple Combination:Echinacea-Goldenseal-Olive leaf Formula.
- Olive Exorcism.
- Olive Leaf:Research Update.
Brief Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract.:
Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, but the immune and circulatory benefits of Olive Leaf have only recently become fully realized. In the 1850's, medical reports described how Olive Leaves cured the worst cases of malaria. An 1854 account in the Pharmaceutical Journal provided the following simple healing recipe: "A handful of leaves boiled in a quart of water down to half its original volume. A wine glassful was then administered until the fever was cured." The author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves was the key healing ingredient. This method was said to be extremely popular in England to treat sick returnees from the tropical colonies. In 1962, a scientific paper written by an Italian researcher reported that the chemical constituent "oleuropein" had the ability to lower blood pressure in animals. Other European researchers confirmed this finding and found also that it could increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmias and prevent intestinal muscle spasms. About the same time, other investigators were searching for the chemical agent within oleuropein that might be the most medically potent. A Dutch researcher found it - elenolic acid. What's more, the Europeans found it had a powerful anti-bacterial effect. In the late 1960's, research by scientists at a major American pharmaceutical company showed that elenolic acid also inhibited the growth of viruses. In fact, it stopped every virus that it was tested against. A number of in vitro laboratory experiments with calcium elenolate, a salt of elenolic acid, demonstrated a killer effect against many viruses, bacteria and parasitic protozoans. Among other effects, the compound was found to be potent against a variety of viruses associated with the common cold.
Also, the beneficial effects are not restricted to the cardiovascular system. A significant body of scientific evidence now indicates that extracts from the olive tree, including the leaves, have in their health-promoting repertoire the potential to resist or overcome attack by an impressively wide range of infectious organisms as well as to generally boost the immune system. This article reviews the available scientific and clinical evidence.
Olives are native to Asia Minor and Syria, but are cultivated in Mediterranean countries and also Chile, Peru and South Australia. Olive leaf was first used medicinally in Ancient Egypt and was a symbol of heavenly power. It was also used to mummify pharaohs. More recent knowledge of the olive leaf's medicinal properties dates back to the early 1800s when pulverised leaves were used in a drink to lower fevers. A few decades later, green olive leaves were used in tea as a treatment for malaria.
Modern health professionals first started using Olive Leaf extract in 1995 when it first became available and although a long-term perspective is not yet possible, initial results are very positive. It is emerging as a very promising and unique herb with multiple applications. It shows considerable therapeutic action against many common conditions. Olive leaf extract is gaining recognition as a powerful defender against sickness, and numerous scientific studies have been conducted to investigate the extract's beneficial properties. The reported benefits of olive leaf extract's range from promoting increased energy and healthy blood pressure, to supporting the cardiovascular system, and the immune system.
1) Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Olive leaf extract contains a class of compounds called flavonoids, which possess anti-inflammatory abilities.From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that supplemental olive leaf may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium or protozoan. Among those treatable conditions are: influenza, the common cold, candida infections, meningitis, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles (Herpes zoster), HIV/ARC/AIDS, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, dengue, severe diarrhea, and dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.
Many people who live stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and viruses may benefit from long-term use of olive leaf as a preventive agent. Some patients have expressed other unexpected benefits of olive leaf, including improved psoriasis, normalisation of heart beat irregularities, diminished cravings, less pain from hemorrhoids, toothaches and chronically achy joints.
2) Immune System Booster: Studies have shown that people who have taken olive oil extract have achieved a better sense of wellness. The extract acts to boost the body's ability to ward of illness and disease.
Research suggests that olive leaf may be a true anti-viral compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. This appears to offer healing effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics. Olive leaf's broad killing power includes an ability to interfere with critical amino acid production for viruses; an ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses by preventing virus shredding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane; the ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.
3) Interrupting Pathogens: Research points to olive extract's ability to stop the replication of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses, in the body.
4) Strong Antioxidant effects: Oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and in particular, extracts of Olea europaea leaf (containing 19% oleuropein, 1.8% flavonoid glycosides, and 3,4-dihydroxy- phenethyl esters) were more potent antioxidants than vitamin E or another established antioxidant, BHT, in a model chemical system (inhibition of oxidation of methyl linoleate in heptanol or propanol-water, initiated by 2,2'-azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN)).
As an antioxidant, Olive leaf extract protects those blood vessels from damage, and has been shown to be effective in protecting the heart from coronary occlusion. When taken over an extended period of time, it is believed to reverse arteriosclerosis. Olive leaves are astringent and antiseptic. Both the leaves and the bark have valuable febrifugal qualities.
5) Cardiovascular effects: Olea europea-derived compounds appear to have some interesting effects on the cardiovascular system that are unrelated to their antioxidant properties (see later), including blood-pressure- lowering and anti-arrhythmic actions, and effects on coronary blood flow in certain situations.
In 1962 an Italian researcher recorded that Oleuropein had the ability to lower blood pressure in animals. It dilates the blood vessels so that blood may flow more easily throughout the system. Other European researchers validated that claim and also found it to increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmia and prevent intestinal muscle spasms. In the years to come, a Dutch researcher identified that a primary ingredient in oleuropein inhibited the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. This chemical was elenolic acid. Further European research determined this compound to have strong bactericidal, antiviral and antifungal capabilities. A safety study on calcium elenolate was tested with laboratory animals and published by the Upjohn pharmaceutical company in 1970. The study concluded that even in doses several hundred times higher than recommended; no toxic or other adverse side effects were discovered.
6) Diabetes: Researchers have found that the natural olive leaf compounds can decrease the level of blood sugar.
Other Important Health Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract:Other reseach has shown that benefits of olive leaf extract may include lowering blood pressure and increasing blood flow, as well as lowering cholesterol levels.
Since olive leaf extract has been shown to dispel protozoan-caused diseases, its not surprising its reputation as an anti-malarial dates back to the early 19th century. In the 1800s, physicians brewed olive leaves and administered the bitter tea to malaria patients. The doctors reported their patients improved after drinking this tea.
The Upjohn researchers determined that olive leaf extract inhibited at least 56 disease-causing bacteria, viruses and protozoa, including the malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum. The researchers also found it was effective against Vaccinia, a contagious viral disease of cattle, produced in humans by inoculation with cowpox virus to confer immunity against smallpox.
Reference:
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- 1.Olive leaf was first used medicinally in Ancient Egypt.
Article Information:
♥The article and literature was edited by herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional.It runs a range of online descriptions about the titled herb and related phytochemicals,including comprehensive information related,summarized updating discoveries from findings of herbalists and clinical scientists from this field.The electronic data information published at our official website www.mdidea.com and www.mdidea.net,we tried best to update it to latest and exact as possible.
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