Olive leaf was first used medicinally in Ancient Egypt.
Contents
-
- 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.
Research Progress and identified Applicaitons Olive Leaves.:
How It Works:
According to laboratory tests, calcium elenolate (derived from oleuropein) kills viruses by interfering with certain amino acid production processes. This interference prevents virus shedding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane. Studies suggest that this compound has the ability to penetrate infected host cells and irreversibly inhibit viral replication. In retroviruses, this compound neutralizes the production of the reverse transcriptase enzyme and is believed to also neutralize the protease enzyme as well. These enzymes are essential for retroviruses such as HIV to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.
Researchers in Europe investigated the properties of oleuropein and suggested that it inactivated bacteria by dissolving the outer lining of the microbes. More recent studies of oleuropein show that it seems to protect low density lipoprotein from oxidation, thus reducing the LDL (the bad cholesterol). Another research study in France remarks that Olea europaea leaf extracts show extremely high antioxidative qualities.
The new Olive Leaf Extract extract not only confirms the earlier test finding (less the serum binding problem), but seems to show itself as an immune system builder by directly stimulating phagocyte production (phogocytosis). It also contains natural flavinoids and esters that create a structural complex that infectious microorganisms may not readily develop a resistance to. Biochemists have determined that the extract has multiple iridoids and that the synergy of them working together is the reason for the wide spectrum effect.
Safety studies in animals:
Several studies in animals have provided information about the in vivo safety and toxicity of compounds present in extracts from Olea europaea. Elliott et al45 determined the LD50 (the dose that is lethal for at least 50% of a designated population of laboratory animals) for calcium elenolate to be 120 mg/kg in mice when given intraperitoneally, and 160 mg/kg in rats via the intraperitoneal route and 1,700 mg/kg via the oral route. Petkov and Manolov26 gave single intraperitoneal doses of oleuropein to mice ranging from 100 to 1000 mg/kg (in solutions of 1, 5 and 10%), but observed no toxic effects and no deaths during the 7-days post-treatment period, and so were unable to determine oleuropein's LD50 in this study.
In repeated-dose ("subacute") studies, Elliott et al45 found calcium elenolate to be well tolerated in rats given daily oral doses of 0, 30, 100 or 300 mg/kg for 1 month. The only drug-related change observed was a yellowing of the nonglandular fore-stomach in 40% of the rats receiving the highest dose (300 mg/kg). In 7-month-old beagle dogs given daily oral doses of 0, 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg calcium elenolate for 1 month, all but the highest dose were well tolerated ~ three out of the four dogs receiving 30 mg/kg showed a mild gastric irritation with sporadic vomiting. Tissue analysis revealed a few small gastric erosions in these animals.
In their investigations of the cardiovascular effects of oleuropein in animals, described earlier (see Cardiovascular effects, above), Petkov and Manolov26 observed that 3~50 mg/kg oleuropein given intraperitoneally caused a slight stimulation of the respiratory rate in anaesthetised cats. Also, in doses of 10~30 mg/kg, it caused a brief depressed state with decreased motor activity in two out of four conscious dogs with induced hypertension, and was badly tolerated in a third dog, causing excitation, scratching, and vigorous jolting movements, red, watery eyes, and hyperaemic (warm, reddened) abdominal skin.
Lastly, Ruiz-Gutierrez et al,46 investigating the effects of oleuropein on lipids and fatty acids in heart tissue, did not report any adverse behavioural or other effects (for example, on food consumption, body weight, heart weight or heart total lipid content) in rats given intraperitoneal injections of 25 or 50 mg/kg daily for 3 weeks. Oleuropein did significantly reduce the linoleic acid content and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in heart polar lipids, depleted heart levels of vitamin E, and itself became incorporated in heart tissue, but the significance of these findings is unclear. However, heart tissue that had been pre-treated with oleuropein in vitro was not susceptible to peroxidation.
Anti-HIV activity of olive leaf extract (OLE) and modulation of host cell gene expression by HIV-1 infection and OLE treatment:
We investigated the antiviral activity of olive leaf extract (OLE) preparations standardized by liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS) against HIV-1 infection and replication. We find that OLE inhibits acute infection and cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 as assayed by syncytia formation using uninfected MT2 cells co-cultured with HIV-1-infected H9 T lymphocytes. OLE also inhibits HIV-1 replication as assayed by p24 expression in infected H9 cells. These anti-HIV effects of OLE are dose dependent, with EC(50)s of around 0.2 microg/ml. In the effective dose range, no cytotoxicity on uninfected target cells was detected. The therapeutic index of OLE is above 5000. To identify viral and host targets for OLE, we characterized gene expression profiles associated with HIV-1 infection and OLE treatment using cDNA microarrays. HIV-1 infection modulates the expression patterns of cellular genes involved in apoptosis, stress, cytokine, protein kinase C, and hedgehog signaling. HIV-1 infection up-regulates the expression of the heat-shock proteins hsp27 and hsp90, the DNA damage inducible transcript 1 gadd45, the p53-binding protein mdm2, and the hedgehog signal protein patched 1, while it down-regulates the expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL2-associated X protein Bax. Treatment with OLE reverses many of these HIV-1 infection-associated changes. Treatment of HIV-1-infected cells with OLE also up-regulates the expression of the apoptosis inhibitor proteins IAP1 and 2, as well as the calcium and protein kinase C pathway signaling molecules IL-2, IL-2Ralpha, and ornithine decarboxylase ODC1.
Olive polyphenol and bone health:
Bone health is set to become a major segment of the supplements and functional foods market, as ageing populations and the additional strain from obesity swell the numbers affected by osteoporosis. Already the lifetime risk for a woman to have an osteoporotic fracture is 30-40 per cent and in men the risk is about 13 per cent.
But while the World Health Organisation calls the condition its biggest global healthcare problem, the main natural product targeted at bone health,calcium supplements,is entering a mature category, and a recent report from Frost Sullivan warns that the supplements are set to see 'fierce cannibalisation' of sales from therapeutic drugs as consumers look for faster remedies.
Research work revealed that both oleuropin and hydroxytyrosol had an impact on inflammation in bones. These findings have since been confirmed in animal studies.
This animal model is designed to represent senile osteoporosis, or the bone-wasting condition that effects the elderly, as it combines both hormone deficiency with chronic inflammation.
The animals do not fully recover all of their bone density compared to controls, but in this research, those rats fed with oleuropin recovered about 70-75 per cent of their bone density, a 50 per cent improvement on those that were not fed the supplement.
While calcium is a building block required in the formation of bone throughout life, olive polyphenols appear to reduce inflammation-mediated bone loss, one of the elements that affects older people and leads to osteoporosis. it could be added to an all-round bone health product containing calcium and vitamin D.
Olive leaf extract lowers blood pressure:
Olive leaves have been used in traditional medicine for a range of different remedies, including hypertension and atherosclerosis.
The clinical trial was carried out in Germany on a group of 20 adult twin pairs. In one group, one twin of each pair was given a 500mg dose of the extract while his or her sibling took a placebo for eight weeks. In a second group, one twin took a 500mg dose while their sibling took the same dose twice a day for the same period.
The results show a dose-dependent effect on blood pressure reduction, with maximum values amounting to decreases by 19 mmHg systolic and 10 mmHg diastolic respectively.
About two thirds of strokes and half the incidence of heart disease are attributable to raised blood pressure, according to the World Health Organisation. Worldwide, high blood pressure is estimated to cause 7.1 million deaths, about 13 per cent of the total, and this number will rise dramatically with the increase in obesity
Antioxidant activity of maslinic acid, a triterpene derivative obtained from Olea europaea:
We investigated the effect of maslinic acid (a triterpene derivative obtained from olive pomace), on the susceptibility of plasma or hepatocyte membranes to lipid peroxidation (LPO), induced respectively by the hydroxyl radical (OH*) generated by Fe2+/H2O2 ex vivo and by the system Fe3+/ascorbate in vitro; moreover, three groups of animals used in the plasma study were pretreated with CCl4 (to generate CCl3-*). Endogenous plasma lipoperoxide levels and susceptibility to LPO were decreased in rats treated with maslinic acid, after exposure to OH* by Fe2+/H2O2 (Fenton reaction). Co-incubation with maslinic acid prevented hepatocyte membrane LPO as shown by the reduction of TBARS. In conclusion, maslinic acid may offer some advantages in the resistance of oxidative stress in the animals.
Hypoglycemic activity of olive leaf:
The hypoglycemic activity of olive leaf was studied. Maximum hypoglycemic activity was obtained from samples collected in the winter months, especially in February. One of the compounds responsible for this activity was oleuropeoside, which showed activity at a dose of 16 mg/kg. This compound also demonstrated antidiabetic activity in animals with alloxan-induced diabetes. The hypoglycemic activity of this compound may result from two mechanisms: (a) potentiation of glucose-induced insulin release, and (b) increased peripheral uptake of glucose.
In vitro antimicrobial activity of olive leaves:
We investigated the antimicrobial effect of olive leaves against bacteria and fungi. The microorganisms tested were inoculated in various concentrations of olive leaf water extract. Olive leaf 0.6% (w/v) water extract killed almost all bacteria tested, within 3 h. Dermatophytes were inhibited by 1.25% (w/v) plant extract following a 3-day exposure whereas Candida albicans was killed following a 24 h incubation in the presence of 15% (w/v) plant extract. Olive leaf extract fractions, obtained by dialysis, that showed antimicrobial activity consisted of particles smaller than 1000 molecular rate cutoffs. Scanning electron microscopic observations of C. albicans, exposed to 40% (w/v) olive leaf extract, showed invaginated and amorphous cells. Escherichia coli cells, subjected to a similar treatment but exposed to only 0.6% (w/v) olive leaf extract showed complete destruction. These findings suggest an antimicrobial potential for olive leaves.
Anti-HIV activity of olive leaf extract (OLE) and modulation of host cell gene expression by HIV-1 infection and OLE treatment:
We investigated the antiviral activity of olive leaf extract (OLE) preparations standardized by liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS) against HIV-1 infection and replication. We find that OLE inhibits acute infection and cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 as assayed by syncytia formation using uninfected MT2 cells co-cultured with HIV-1-infected H9 T lymphocytes. OLE also inhibits HIV-1 replication as assayed by p24 expression in infected H9 cells. These anti-HIV effects of OLE are dose dependent, with EC(50)s of around 0.2 microg/ml. In the effective dose range, no cytotoxicity on uninfected target cells was detected. The therapeutic index of OLE is above 5000. To identify viral and host targets for OLE, we characterized gene expression profiles associated with HIV-1 infection and OLE treatment using cDNA microarrays. HIV-1 infection modulates the expression patterns of cellular genes involved in apoptosis, stress, cytokine, protein kinase C, and hedgehog signaling. HIV-1 infection up-regulates the expression of the heat-shock proteins hsp27 and hsp90, the DNA damage inducible transcript 1 gadd45, the p53-binding protein mdm2, and the hedgehog signal protein patched 1, while it down-regulates the expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL2-associated X protein Bax. Treatment with OLE reverses many of these HIV-1 infection-associated changes. Treatment of HIV-1-infected cells with OLE also up-regulates the expression of the apoptosis inhibitor proteins IAP1 and 2, as well as the calcium and protein kinase C pathway signaling molecules IL-2, IL-2Ralpha, and ornithine decarboxylase ODC1.
Antihypertensive, antiatherosclerotic and antioxidant activity of triterpenoids isolated from Olea europaea, subspecies africana leaves:
For the first time a biossay-directed study of triterpenoids isolated from the leaves of Olea europaea from Greece, from wild African olive and from a cultivar of O. europaea grown in Cape Town was reported. The experiment was undertaken since our preliminary analyses showed that the African wild olive leave is rich in triterpenoids and contain only traces of the glycoside oleuropein, which is typical for the European olive leaves. The isolate of the African wild olive leaves (AO) used in the experiments was found to contain 0.27% 1:1 mixture of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, named oleuafricein. The isolate of Greek olive leaves (GO) was found to contain 0.71% oleanolic acid, and the Cape Town cultivar (CT) contained 2.47% oleanolic acid. No ursolic acid was found in either GO or CT. The antihypertensive, diuretic, antiatherosclerotic, antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects of authentic oleanolic and ursolic acid and the three isolates (GO, AO and CT) were studied on Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS), insulin-resistant rat genetic model of hypertension. All three isolates, in a dose 60 mg/kg b.w. for 6 weeks treatment, prevented the development of severe hypertension and atherosclerosis and improved the insulin resistance of the experimental animals. GO, OA and CT isolates could provide an effective and cheap treatment of this particular, most common type of salt-sensitive hypertension in the African population.
Vasodilator effect of olive leaf:
We studied the importance of the smooth vascular muscle endothelium in the vasodilator action of the decoction of olive (Olea europaea) leaf. The decoction caused relaxation of isolated rat aorta preparations both in the presence (IC50 1.12 +/- 0.33 mg/ml) and in the absence (IC50 1.67 +/- 0.16 mg/ml) of endothelium. The results indicate that the relaxant activity of the lyophilized decoction is independent of the integrity of the vascular endothelium. We also showed that oleuropeoside is a component responsible for vasodilator activity but, from the results, it seems likely that at least one other principle is to be found in the olive leaf which is either a vasodilator itself or else potentiates the relaxant effect of oleuropeoside.
Treatment with Herpes Case:
Olive leaf extract have been recommened to many patients with herpes. The results have been encouraging.
One man in his early 40s suffered from repeated lesions plus fatigue. In a week after starting the supplement, his lesions disappeared and his energy level increased. He told me that olive leaf extract was the only preparation that had ever cleared up the herpes. "Even the most minute blisters are gone," he said.
A female patient had an unusually stubborn herpetic cold sore in the mouth for four months. She also suffered from cancer, thus there may have been some significant immune exhaustion involved. After one week with the olive leaf, the sore disappeared.
These and other similar clinical successes are consistent with a private 1993 herpes study in humans. In that investigation, a weaker and ethanol (alcohol-based) form of olive leaf extract was used by six individuals with herpes.
All reported symptomatic relief.
Three said their lesions disappeared within 48 hours. The remaining three, who experienced no improvement, then received a stronger dose. One said that three days later, most of the lesions were gone. The other two also reported doing better.
All six subjects said the olive leaf extract produced better results than Acyclovir, a medication they had previously used.
Antioxidant effects in vitro studies:
Oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, the process underlying peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and multi-infarct dementia. Dietary composition significantly affects plasma LDL-cholesterol levels and the incidence of coronary heart disease.29 Notably, the traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, grains and vegetable (mainly olive) oil, is associated with a lower incidence of coronary heart disease. Consumption of olive oil and dressed olives (both rich in oleuropein) has also been reported to lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This dietary effect was initially thought to be due to the intake of a relatively low level of saturated fat and higher levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, it now appears that natural antioxidants present in the diet may also play a part in the prevention atherosclerosis.
Phenolic compounds derived from the leaves, fruits and oil of the olive tree (Olea europaea L) have long been known to have anti-oxidative properties. More recently, Le Tutour and Guedon19 demonstrated that 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)). Another recent in vitro study showed that oleuropein (at a concentration of 10~5 M) significantly inhibited copper sulphate-induced oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) extracted from normal human plasma.
Cardiovascular effects in animals:
Not only are Olea europea-derived compounds active against infectious organisms; they also 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 anaesthetised cats, 20~40 mg/kg oleuropein caused a clear-cut, dose-dependent drop in blood pressure lasting more than 1 hour.26 In dogs with experimentally induced hypertension, 10~30 mg/kg oleuropein caused a sharp, long-lasting drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in three out of four animals, and a lesser, shorter-lived decrease in blood pressure in the fourth dog. The same investigators found that oleuropein caused an increase in blood flow through the coronary vessels of isolated rabbit heart preparations, but no change in coronary flow in anaesthetised cats at doses of 10~ 30 mg/kg. However, in a model of experimentally disturbed coronary circulation, oleuropein (30 mg/kg intravenously) largely abolished the characteristic ECG (electrocardiogram) changes caused by Pituitrin (which diminishes coronary blood flow) in conscious rabbits, when given 1 minute after the Pituitrin injection. Lastly, Petkov and Manolov26 found that oleuropein eliminated cardiac arrhythmia in dogs with induced hypertension for 1.5~2 hours, normalised cardiac rhythm in rabbits with barium chloride-induced arrhythmia for about 1 hour, and prevented or reduced the duration of disturbed cardiac rhythm in rats with calcium chloride-induced arrhythmia. The pharmacological mechanisms underlying any of these effects on the heart and vasculature are unknown.
Chronic Fatigue:
Olive leaf extract is potent stuff. It can generate an internal cleansing action that may similarly cause significant detox symptoms. Refer to the next chapter about what to do if you experience such a reaction.
"Die-off" symptoms can begin almost immediately after starting the supplement. It can hit different people in different ways. Reactions include extreme fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, muscle/joint achiness or flu-like symptoms. Severity differs also from person to person, depending on the extent of infection.
Other than the "die-off" detoxification effect among some individuals, olive leaf extract appears to create no side effects. Past research with calcium elenolate, the derivative or oleuropein, included safety studies with laboratory animals. They were dosed orally and also via injection. The only symptom observed was a mild irritation of the mucous membrane among some animals at the injection site. Since olive leaf extract is taken orally, this observation is basically irrelevant.
Diabetes:
Researchers have found that the natural olive leaf compounds can decrease the level of blood sugar. I have had several cases in my clinic confirming this finding.
One involved a 15-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes. The teenager had been regularly taking 350 units of insulin daily for control. After one month on olive leaf extract, she was able to maintain similar control with just 220 units.
In another case, the blood sugar level of a diabetic elderly priest dropped from 450 to 160 after three months. In an yet another instance, the blood sugar of a middle aged man stabilized at 140, down from 250, after one month. He reported a great increase in energy during this time.
hese results are exciting. I look forward to more opportunities to gauge the benefits of olive leaf for diabetics. Will it generate improved blood flow and antioxidant effects to help against the destructive vascular complications of diabetes that contribute to stroke, heart disease and peripheral circulatory problems?
Olive Leaf Extract is also a natural antioxidant, providing important cell protection at the membrane level, helping the body to safeguard against oxidation. Olive Leaf Extract protects LDL cholesterol from free radical attack, assists in maintaining a healthy heart and cardiovascular system and promotes flexible arterial walls and a healthy blood flow.
There is very little information regarding olive leaf and how it may affect a developing foetus or an infant. Therefore, its use it is not recommended during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Olive leaf should not to be used by diabetics due to its potential blood-sugar lowering properties.
Fever-lowering properties:
Interest in the potential benefits of extracts from the olive tree has stemmed from two main historical sources of independent origins. The first of these, in the mid-19th century, involved reports of fever-lowering properties, including the ability of olive leaf extracts to prevent or cure the symptoms of malaria. In 1854, Hanbury published an article in the Pharmaceutical Journal of Provincial Transactions relating that a "decoction of the leaves" of the olive tree had been found to be extremely effective in reducing fevers due to a severe, and otherwise often fatal, disease that had swept the island of Mytelene in 1843. The olive leaf extract was reported subsequently to be more effective in its fever-lowering properties than quinine.
Hanbury recalled that similar observations had been made in France and Spain many years previously (between 1811 and 1828). It appears that, in the early 19th century, Spanish physicians sometimes prescribed olive leaves as a "febrifuge", and consequently, during the Spanish war of 1808~1813, the French Officiers de Sante often used them to treat cases of "intermittent fever". Hanbury went on the describe how Pallas, following observations of clinical benefits made an analysis of the leaves and young bark of the olive tree and found them to contain, among other compounds, a bitter crystallisable substance which he designated as "Vauqueline". Pallas ascribed most of the "febrifuge" properties of the olive tree to Vauqueline.
More Energy:
One of the most frequent comments we hear from patients after they start taking olive leaf extract is that they feel more energetic and have a greater sense of well-being. Many want to continue the supplement even after the treatment program has cleared up or reduced specific problems.
Some patients are energized to the point that they inquire whether there is an "upper" in the product. There is not. It simply generates a natural "upper" effect. Healthy people who take it say they also feel this infusion of energy.
Skin Conditions:
A chronic scalp infection that had stubbornly resisted all treatment for more than 10 year responded directly to olive leaf extract within 60 days.
"The condition would flare up causing very painful eruptions and lesions in my scalp, which, over time, have killed quite a few hair follicles. Modern medical doctors and dermatologists have been unable to eradicate (the condition). I had resolved my self to the fact that there was no cure.
"I am satisfied that I am getting some significant results from using the olive leaf extract. My scalp remains a little tender, but the eruptions have all but ceased. I am continuing to use the product about twice a day, and the skin color is much healthier than it has been in recent time.
"No matter what drug therapy my doctors have prescribed in the past, none has provided me with the level of relief I am currently experiencing. I would gladly recommend this product to others suffering chronic skin aliments."
A female patient reported better energy and disappearance of a rash in 30 days. The rash occurred in winter, or during times of extreme cold.
Olive Leaf Extract Cosmetic functions, Olea europaea - Olive Leaf extract contains 98 phytochemicals; one of the most important being oleuropein. Oleuropein acts as an antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic substance. Oleuropein is a bitter, phenolic glycoside present in the fruit, leaves, bark and roots of the the olive tree. It is the source of the olive tree's powerful disease resistance which protects it against insect and bacterial predators. Olive leaf extract contains esters, flavonoids, and multiple iridoids.
Clinical evidence of efficacy:
From the above review, the preclinical evidence for the anti-infective and cardiovascular effects of olive tree extracts is fairly extensive and convincing. By contrast, however, the clinical evidence is relatively scarce. This is not to say that what clinical evidence there is is not compelling. But, because development of the olive leaf extract as a possible pharmaceutical product was abandoned in the 1970s, and has continued via private research as a food supplement, extensive clinical studies have not been carried out. As a food supplement, the manufacturer cannot make any claims about the effects of the product (but relies on independent publicity gained through consumers and health practitioners use of the product), but conversely is not required to conduct lengthy and costly clinical trials to prove its efficacy in any medical condition. The product may be sold legally for human dietary consumption based on its natural origins, conventional extraction process, proven safety in animals at the recommended doses for humans, and its documented historical safe use in humans in Europe for more than a century.
Clinical studies:
A limited number of open (uncontrolled) clinical studies have been or are being conducted with Eden Extract or an earlier version of the product, Viliv, although results from these studies have not yet been published by the respective investigators. In 1993, a preliminary study was carried out by investigators at the NFN Company, Los Angeles, California, USA. Six subjects with herpes simplex II (and possibly I) infection, previously diagnosed by a physician, were treated with 2~4 oz of Viliv (a wine-based tincture containing concentrated olive leaf extract) orally every 6 hours for 6 weeks. Three subjects reported complete remission of lesions and associated pain/discomfort after 36~48 hours, and a fourth reported relief of pain after a further 48 hours. The other two subjects reported relief of pain/discomfort over the course of the study. There was a trend towards reduced blood levels of antibodies after 2~3 weeks of treatment, but the number of samples was too few to give a definitive conclusion.
A clinical study involving the use of Eden Extract is reported to be underway at The "R" Clinic, Budapest, Hungary,48 which employs innovative medical alternatives to help provide improved healthcare for Hungarian citizens. The medical director, Dr. Robert Lyons, along with 40 physicians from the US, has already treated 500 patients with Eden Extract. Patients initially took two capsules (each containing 500 mg of concentrated olive leaf extract) three times daily, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, and the dose was reduced to one capsule four times daily if their disease symptoms improved.
According to US medical journalist Morton Walker,48 who has corresponded with Dr. Lyons in regard to this study, 157 out of 164 patients with respiratory diseases or lung conditions (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis) recovered fully and six improved (one patient was unaccounted for in the article); 60 out of 67 patients with dental problems (pulpitis, leukoplakia, stomatitis) fully recovered, five improved and two remained unchanged; 150 out of 209 patients with viral or bacterial skin infections fully recovered and 59 improved; all 17 patients with gastric ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection improved, though none recovered fully; and 40 out of 43 patients with impaired immunity showed improved immune status (details of how this was assessed were not given) while three remained unchanged. It is unclear how long patients were continued on treatment, but some appear to have responded within a matter of a few days or weeks.
A further clinical study, investigating the efficacy of olive leaf extract in the treatment of malaria, is reported to be underway in Taiwan under the direction of Dr. Bernard Friedlander, a chiropractor from San Mateo, California, USA.49 Results from this study, however, are not yet available.
Clinical anecdotes and individual cases:
Other than from the above-mentioned clinical studies, indications of clinical efficacy of Eden Extract come from consumers' letters sent directly to the manufacturer (East Park Research, Inc., Henderson, Nevada, USA) or indirectly via health practitioners (including physicians, chiropractors and nutritionists); and case reports or clinical anecdotes provided by a number of US health practitioners who have prescribed Eden Extract to their patients and observed beneficial effects.
General practitioner Dr. James Privitera, M.D., of Covina, California, appears to have had the most extensive clinical experience with use of the olive leaf extract, which has been available in the US since 1995. He has reportedly observed the following benefits: relief of arthritic inflammations; reduction of insulin dosages in diabetics; elimination of the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome; increased energy/stamina; improved blood flow in cardiovascular disorders; lessening of haemorrhoid pain; attenuation of toothaches; elimination of fungal infections such as onychomycosis and tinea pedis; prevention or cure of numerous viral infections; relief of many of the symptoms of Candida albicans and other yeast infections; and elimination of a variety of parasites including protozoa and helminth worms.
Other case reports or anecdotes mention the following benefits with Eden Extract: probable prevention and successful treatment of herpes genitalis (herpes simplex II);48,49 improved symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, prostate cancer and some other cancers, and skin conditions; improvement in chronic fatigue syndrome; improvement of sore throats, coughs, colds, and chronic sinusitis; improvement of tinea (pityriasis) versicolor, psoriasis, persistent respiratory infection, and chronic scalp infection;50 relief from the pain of shingles (herpes zoster infection); elimination of the "yeast syndrome"/ Candida albicans infection; and restoration of immune function in a severely immune-depressed patient with multiple long-term allergies and opportunistic infections.
Clinical Summary:Drevied from the fresh or dried leaves of olive plant. The raw leaves or the extract have been used to treat infections, inflammation, diabetes, and hypertension. A major component of olive leaf, oleuropein, has been shown to have antioxidant properties. An animal study indicated that the hypoglycemic effect of olive leaf extract can induce insulin release and improve peripheral uptake of glucose. Extracts of the leaf have strong antimicrobial properties as well as potential anti-HIV properties. Other studies demonstrated antiarrhythmic, spasmolytic, diuretic, antihypertensive, and cholesterol lowering properties in animals. The anticancer effect of olive leaf extract in humans is not known.
Olive Leaf Firepower:
For the record, the researchers at Upjohn found calcium elenolate effective in test tube experiments against the following viruses: herpes, vaccinia, pseudorabies, Newcastle, Coxsacloe A 21, encepthlomyocarditis, polio 1, 2, and 3, vesicular stomititus, sindbis, reovirus, Moloney Murine leukemia, Rauscher Murine leukemia, Moloney sarcoma, and many influenza and parainfluenza types.
They found it effective against these bacteria and parasitic protozoans: lactobacillus plantarum W50, brevis 50, pediococcus cerevisiae 39, leuconostoc mesenteroides 42, staphylococcus aureus, bacillus subtilis, enterobacteraerogenes NRRL B-199, E. cloacae NRRL B-414, E. coli, salamonella tyhimurium, pseudomonas fluorescens, P. solanacearum, P. lachrymans, erwinia carotovora, E. tracheiphila, xanthomonas vesicatoria, corynesbacterium Michiganese, plasmodium falciparum, virax and malariae.
The researchers credit a number of unique properties possessed by the olive leaf compound for the broad killing power:
An ability to interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses.
An ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane.
The ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.
In the case of retroviruses, it is able to neutralize the production of reverse transcriptase and protease. These enzymes are essential for a retrovirus, such as HIV, to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.
It can stimulate phagocytosis, an immune system response in which cells ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.
The research suggests that this may be a "true anti-viral" compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. It thus appears to offer healing effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics.
Summary and conclusions:
Extracts from the European olive tree have a long history of association with fever-lowering and antimicrobial properties, and these are now convincingly supported by laboratory studies of antibacterial and antiviral actions conducted over the last 30 years or more. The association of olive oil and other oils containing high levels of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and low levels of saturated fats with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease is also well-established. Evidence from laboratory studies of further possible cardiovascular benefits, such as blood pressure-lowering, anti-arrhythmic, coronary blood flow-reducing and antioxidant actions, adds a further exciting dimension to the possible health-promoting benefits of these extracts, and deserves deeper exploration.
Most of the laboratory evidence has involved the major phenolic compound of olive tree extracts, oleuropein, and its hydrolysis product elenolic acid, and these agents have been shown to be safe and well-tolerated by the oral, as well as intraperitoneal, route in a variety of animals at the levels present in doses of olive leaf extract recommended for human dietary supplementation. Eden Extract? incorporates structural changes to the elenolic acid molecule that overcome the bioavailability problems in humans encountered with earlier such preparations (due to rapid binding to serum proteins). This product has been available to the US public as a food supplement since 1995 and has recently become available in the UK.
Formal clinical studies of possible health benefits of extracts from the olive tree in humans are scarce; however, case reports and clinical anecdotes received by the manufacturer from consumers and health practitioners in the US indicate that the product may well have effective antibacterial and antiviral properties in humans, as well as hitherto unrecognised benefits to the cardiovascular and immune systems. Other health-promoting properties, such as antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anticancer actions, are also suggested by these unofficial reports. However, such reports cannot be presented as proof of clinical efficacy, since the placebo effect is likely to be a significant factor in any non-controlled study and in individual cases.
Published findings from the clinical studies reported to be underway should provide important supporting evidence for olive leaf extract's clinical potential. Organised, well-designed studies targeting particular human ailments would provide further convincing proof of the range and depth of health-promoting effects of this potentially far-reaching product. From its historical origins, which have been said to date back as far as biblical times and to ancient Egypt, the olive tree has come a long way in gaining recognition for its remarkable properties. It would be a great shame if such a possible source of power against human ailments remained unrecognised and untapped because of a lack of investment in clinically definitive studies in the final stages of its development.
Summary:
Olive leaf teas have been used for thousands of years to lower fevers, and olive leaf poultices are among the oldest therapies for infections of the skin. Olive leaf is associated with a variety of modern medical claims, some of them backed up with scientific evidence:
Antibacterial effects. Elenoic acid from olives is known to be antibacterial (killing both infectious and helpful bacteria), but the elenoic acid in olive leaf may be broken down in the process of making the tea. Olive leaf poultices may heal skin by encouraging circulation rather than by killing bacteria.
Cardiovascular effects. Oleuropein in olive leaf and in olives may prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing into a form that can form atherosclerotic plaques. The chemical also lowers blood pressure, although only slightly (3 to 8 mm/Hg after 3 to 4 weeks use).
Diabetes. Olive leaf extracts have been shown in laboratory studies to lower blood sugars, but their use in treating diabetes in humans is not well documented.
Cosmetic uses of Olive Leaf:
Olive leaf extract are believed to improve skin health and healing the skin,It is an antiseptic and astringent ingredient when applied to the skin, and when used internally it helps to lower fever, blood pressure and improves kidney function.
The leaves contain secoiridoids - including oleuropein, as well as ligustroside and oleacein. It further contains Triterpenoids (oleanolic acid and uvaol), sterols, flavonoids (chrysoeriol, apigenin and luteolin glycosides) and various other Phenolic Acids. Other ingredients found in the leaf extract are luteolin 7,4'-O-diglucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, rutin, apigenin 7-O-rutinoside, luteolin 4'-O-glucoside, luteolin, apigenin and diosmetin REF 537 as well as 1,5-Anhydroxylitol.
Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract is a powder extract derived from leaves of olea europaea,can provides wide-spectrum anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal compounds, improves circulation.
Olive leaf and promoting a healthy skin:the property of olive leaf made it can be used for goodness of skin,traditionally Olive leaf extract got used as a cicatrizing agent,which means helping sores and wounds to heal such as acne and pimples lesions.This activity is explained by the presence of flavonoids and oleanolic acid, which stimulate the components of the connective tissue and regularize the tissue - thereby boosting the health of the skin.
Olive leaf extract also has a positive effect on human fibroblast, which translates into a healthier skin and furthermore has excellent antioxidant and genoprotective effects, especially during conditions of oxidative stress.
When suffering from pimples and acne, the antioxidant effect of olive leaf is very useful, since the skin is in a state of stress, and the continuous inflammatory state, which produces the tell-tale skin redness, can cause premature aging over a period of time.
Apart from these healing and protective qualities, it also exhibits an antiviral effect as well as an anti-microbial effect against fungi and bacteria.
For the skin applications,Olive leaf extract can be used for its skin healing properties,for the benefit it has on repairing sun-damaged skin,such like it can be used in cosmetics prevent sun-damaged skin,and skin enzyme cleanse,skin face masks to work protect skins.Olive leaf extract is easily absorbed through the skin and stimulates the components of the connective tissue, which helps clear the skin of impurities and promotes healthy oxygenated skin.Olive leaf extract has a positive effect on fibroblast, with excellent anti-oxidant effects, protecting the DNA of the cells.Olive leaf extract also has antiviral and antimicrobial properties against fungi and bacteria – making it ideal to include in products developed to fight skin problems.
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil is rich in Vitamin E and Oleic acid which nourishes and balances lipid content of the acid mantle, improves absorption, re-moisturizes the skin to relieve rough, dry textures.
Reference:
-
- 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.
♣ last edit date:
