Scientifically reviewed by: Carol Campi, RN, DC, on January 2020.
Written By Julian Everson.
Blood PressureAnimal studies demonstrate that olive leaf extracts lead to significant drops in elevated blood pressure.6,7 Remarkably, these effects are evident when supplementation occurs either before or after the animals develop hypertension. This means that the extracts have the ability to both prevent and treat high blood pressure.8
The drop in blood pressure is accompanied by reduced pressure in the heart’s left ventricle. This results in improved blood flow to the heart’s own coronary blood vessels. Additional human studies demonstrate the ability of olive leaf extracts to significantly reduce blood pressure measurements.9
One particularly fascinating study was conducted among identical twins with hypertension (blood pressure in the range of 120-139 mmHg over 80-89 mmHg). 10 Studies of identical twins virtually eliminate genetic variations which may impact study results. After 8 weeks, placebo recipients showed no change in blood pressure from baseline, but patients supplemented with 1,000 mg/day of olive leaf extract dropped their pressures by a mean of 11 mmHg systolic and 4 mmHg diastolic.10 The supplemented patients experienced significant reductions in LDL cholesterol.
A human study measured olive leaf extract against captopril, one of the conventional drugs used for treating hypertension.11 In this study, patients with what is now considered stage-2 hypertension (140-159 mmHg over 90-99 mmHg) took either 500 mg of olive leaf extract twice daily, or 12.5 mg of captopril twice daily, which was increased as needed to 25 mg twice daily. After 8 weeks of treatment, both groups experienced a drop in mean blood pressure from baseline (11.5 and 13.7 mmHg systolic; 4.8 and 6.4 mmHg diastolic, respectively), with no significant difference between the two groups. In other words, the olive leaf extract performed as well as the prescription drug. A closer look in the laboratory reveals the reason for this equivalence. Although they utilize different mechanisms of action (oleuropein acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and captopril is a well-known ACE-inhibitor), both oleuropein and captopril function inside the vasculature to decrease the tension in the walls of blood vessels and promote widening of the vessels (vasodilation), ultimately lowering blood pressure.12-15
Written By Julian Everson.
Blood PressureAnimal studies demonstrate that olive leaf extracts lead to significant drops in elevated blood pressure.6,7 Remarkably, these effects are evident when supplementation occurs either before or after the animals develop hypertension. This means that the extracts have the ability to both prevent and treat high blood pressure.8
The drop in blood pressure is accompanied by reduced pressure in the heart’s left ventricle. This results in improved blood flow to the heart’s own coronary blood vessels. Additional human studies demonstrate the ability of olive leaf extracts to significantly reduce blood pressure measurements.9
One particularly fascinating study was conducted among identical twins with hypertension (blood pressure in the range of 120-139 mmHg over 80-89 mmHg). 10 Studies of identical twins virtually eliminate genetic variations which may impact study results. After 8 weeks, placebo recipients showed no change in blood pressure from baseline, but patients supplemented with 1,000 mg/day of olive leaf extract dropped their pressures by a mean of 11 mmHg systolic and 4 mmHg diastolic.10 The supplemented patients experienced significant reductions in LDL cholesterol.
A human study measured olive leaf extract against captopril, one of the conventional drugs used for treating hypertension.11 In this study, patients with what is now considered stage-2 hypertension (140-159 mmHg over 90-99 mmHg) took either 500 mg of olive leaf extract twice daily, or 12.5 mg of captopril twice daily, which was increased as needed to 25 mg twice daily. After 8 weeks of treatment, both groups experienced a drop in mean blood pressure from baseline (11.5 and 13.7 mmHg systolic; 4.8 and 6.4 mmHg diastolic, respectively), with no significant difference between the two groups. In other words, the olive leaf extract performed as well as the prescription drug. A closer look in the laboratory reveals the reason for this equivalence. Although they utilize different mechanisms of action (oleuropein acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and captopril is a well-known ACE-inhibitor), both oleuropein and captopril function inside the vasculature to decrease the tension in the walls of blood vessels and promote widening of the vessels (vasodilation), ultimately lowering blood pressure.12-15
IMPORTANT PRECAUTION
The proven blood pressure-lowering effects of olive leaf extracts are potent enough to warrant caution if you are taking prescription blood pressure drugs.60 If you are on blood pressure medication, it’s essential that you speak to your prescriber before starting supplementation.
Summary
Olive leaves contain higher amounts of oleuropein, a polyphenol with unique health-improving attributes. These extracts have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to improve age-related diseases.Now, scientific evidence has shown that these extracts have a remarkable impact on blood pressure and heart disease—and they can help protect against other age-related chronic conditions as well. Convincing evidence now shows that oleuropein-rich olive leaf extracts help prevent many of the underlying factors leading to diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and arthritis.
Olive leaves contain higher amounts of oleuropein, a polyphenol with unique health-improving attributes. These extracts have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to improve age-related diseases.Now, scientific evidence has shown that these extracts have a remarkable impact on blood pressure and heart disease—and they can help protect against other age-related chronic conditions as well. Convincing evidence now shows that oleuropein-rich olive leaf extracts help prevent many of the underlying factors leading to diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and arthritis.
References
- Available at: http://www.tesisenred.net/bitstream/handle/10803/7208/tvk.pdf?sequence=1#page=30. Accessed March 8, 2013.
- Omar SH. Oleuropein in olive and its pharmacological effects. Sci Pharm. 2010;78(2):133-54.
- Wahle KW, Caruso D, Ochoa JJ, Quiles JL. Olive oil and modulation of cell signaling in disease prevention. Lipids.2004 Dec;39(12):1223-31.
- Waterman E, Lockwood B. Active components and clinical applications of olive oil. Altern Med Rev. 2007 Dec;12(4):331-42.
- Hamdi HK, Castellon R. Oleuropein, a non-toxic olive iridoid, is an anti-tumor agent and cytoskeleton disruptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun.2005 Sep 2;334(3):769-78.
- Ribeiro Rde A, Fiuza de Melo MM, De Barros F, Gomes C, Trolin G. Acute antihypertensive effect in conscious rats produced by some medicinal plants used in the state of Sao Paulo. J Ethnopharmacol.1986 Mar;15(3):261-9.
- Somova LI, Shode FO, Ramnanan P, Nadar A. Antihypertensive, antiatherosclerotic and antioxidant activity of triterpenoids isolated from Olea europaea, subspecies africana leaves. J Ethnopharmacol.2003 Feb;84(2-3):299-305.
- Khayyal MT, el-Ghazaly MA, Abdallah DM, Nassar NN, Okpanyi SN, Kreuter MH. Blood pressure lowering effect of an olive leaf extract (Olea europaea) in L-NAME induced hypertension in rats. Arzneimittelforschung.2002;52(11):797-802.
- Cherif S, Rahal N, Haouala M, et al. A clinical trial of a titrated Olea extract in the treatment of essential arterial hypertension. J Pharm Belg. 1996 Mar-Apr;51(2):69-71.
- Perrinjaquet-Moccetti T, Busjahn A, Schmidlin C, Schmidt A, Bradl B, Aydogan C. Food supplementation with an olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract reduces blood pressure in borderline hypertensive monozygotic twins. Phytother Res. 2008 Sep;22(9):1239-42.
- Susalit E, Agus N, Effendi I, et al. Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract effective in patients with stage-1 hypertension: comparison with Captopril. Phytomedicine.2011 Feb 15;18(4):251-8.
- Available at: http://www.rxlist.com/capoten-drug.htm. Accessed March 11, 2013.
- Scheffler A, Rauwald HW, Kampa B, Mann U, Mohr FW, Dhein S. Olea europaea leaf extract exerts L-type Ca(2+) channel antagonistic effects. J Ethnopharmacol.2008 Nov 20;120(2):233-40.
- Gilani AH, Khan AU, Shah AJ, Connor J, Jabeen Q. Blood pressure lowering effect of olive is mediated through calcium channel blockade. Int J Food Sci Nutr.2005 Dec;56(8):613-20.
- Zare L, Esmaeili-Mahani S, Abbasnejad M, et al. Oleuropein, chief constituent of olive leaf extract, prevents the development of morphine antinociceptive tolerance through inhibition of morphine-induced L-type calcium channel overexpression. Phytother Res. 2012 Nov;26(11):1731-7.
- Visioli F, Bellosta S, Galli C. Oleuropein, the bitter principle of olives, enhances nitric oxide production by mouse macrophages. Life Sci. 1998;62(6):541-6.
- Rocha BS, Gago B, Barbosa RM, Laranjinha J. Dietary polyphenols generate nitric oxide from nitrite in the stomach and induce smooth muscle relaxation. Toxicology.2009 Nov 9;265(1-2):41-8.
- Palmieri D, Aliakbarian B, Casazza AA, et al. Effects of polyphenol extract from olive pomace on anoxia-induced endothelial dysfunction. Microvasc Res. 2012 May;83(3):281-9.
- Scoditti E, Calabriso N, Massaro M, et al. Mediterranean diet polyphenols reduce inflammatory angiogenesis through MMP-9 and COX-2 inhibition in human vascular endothelial cells: A potentially protective mechanism in atherosclerotic vascular disease and cancer. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2012 Nov 15;527(2):81-9.
- Dell’Agli M, Fagnani R, Galli GV, et al. Olive oil phenols modulate the expression of metalloproteinase 9 in THP-1 cells by acting on nuclear factor-kappaB signaling. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Feb 24;58(4):2246-52.
- Jemai H, Bouaziz M, Fki I, El Feki A, Sayadi S. Hypolipidimic and antioxidant activities of oleuropein and its hydrolysis derivative-rich extracts from Chemlali olive leaves. Chem Biol Interact. 2008 Nov 25;176(2-3):88-98.
- Visioli F, Galli C. Oleuropein protects low density lipoprotein from oxidation. Life Sci. 1994;55(24):1965-71.
- Masella R, Vari R, D’Archivio M, et al. Extra virgin olive oil biophenols inhibit cell-mediated oxidation of LDL by increasing the mRNA transcription of glutathione-related enzymes. J Nutr.2004 Apr;134(4):785-91.
- Wang L, Geng C, Jiang L, et al. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of olive leaf extract is related to suppressed inflammatory response in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis. Eur J Nutr. 2008 Aug;47(5):235-43.
- Impellizzeri D, Esposito E, Mazzon E, et al. The effects of oleuropein aglycone, an olive oil compound, in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy. Clin Nutr. 2011 Aug;30(4):533-40.
- Carluccio MA, Siculella L, Ancora MA, et al. Olive oil and red wine antioxidant polyphenols inhibit endothelial activation: antiatherogenic properties of Mediterranean diet phytochemicals. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003 Apr 1;23(4):622-9.
- Turner R, Etienne N, Alonso MG, et al. Antioxidant and anti-atherogenic activities of olive oil phenolics. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2005 Jan;75(1):61-70.
- Dell’Agli M, Fagnani R, Mitro N, et al. Minor components of olive oil modulate proatherogenic adhesion molecules involved in endothelial activation. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 May 3;54(9):3259-64.
- Singh I, Mok M, Christensen AM, Turner AH, Hawley JA. The effects of polyphenols in olive leaves on platelet function. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 Feb;18(2):127-32.
- Zbidi H, Salido S, Altarejos J, et al. Olive tree wood phenolic compounds with human platelet antiaggregant properties. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2009 May-Jun;42(3):279-85.
- Wainstein J, Ganz T, Boaz M, et al. Olive leaf extract as a hypoglycemic agent in both human diabetic subjects and in rats. J Med Food. 2012 Jul;15(7):605-10.
- Gonzalez M, Zarzuelo A, Gamez MJ, Utrilla MP, Jimenez J, Osuna I. Hypoglycemic activity of olive leaf. Planta Med. 1992 Dec;58(6):513-5.
- Al-Azzawie HF, Alhamdani MS. Hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of oleuropein in alloxan-diabetic rabbits. Life Sci. 2006 Feb 16;78(12):1371-7.
- Jemai H, El Feki A, Sayadi S. Antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein from olive leaves in alloxan-diabetic rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Oct 14;57(19):8798-804.
- Eidi A, Eidi M, Darzi R. Antidiabetic effect of Olea europaea L. in normal and diabetic rats. Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):347-50.
- Poudyal H, Campbell F, Brown L. Olive leaf extract attenuates cardiac, hepatic, and metabolic changes in high carbohydrate-, high fat-fed rats. J Nutr. 2010 May;140(5):946-53.
- Simon D, Balkau B. Diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia and cancer. Diabetes Metab. 2010 Jun;36(3):182-91.
- Kontou N, Psaltopoulou T, Soupos N, et al. Metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer: the protective role of Mediterranean diet--a case-control study. Angiology. 2012 Jul;63(5):390-6.
- Verberne L, Bach-Faig A, Buckland G, Serra-Majem L. Association between the Mediterranean diet and cancer risk: a review of observational studies. Nutr Cancer. 2010;62(7):860-70.
- Anter J, Fernandez-Bedmar Z, Villatoro-Pulido M, et al. A pilot study on the DNA-protective, cytotoxic, and apoptosis-inducing properties of olive-leaf extracts. Mutat Res. 2011 Aug 16;723(2):165-70.
- Corona G, Deiana M, Incani A, Vauzour D, Dessi MA, Spencer JP. Inhibition of p38/CREB phosphorylation and COX-2 expression by olive oil polyphenols underlies their anti-proliferative effects. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Oct 26;362(3):606-11.
- Kimura Y, Sumiyoshi M. Olive leaf extract and its main component oleuropein prevent chronic ultraviolet B radiation-induced skin damage and carcinogenesis in hairless mice. J Nutr. 2009 Nov;139(11):2079-86.
- Sirianni R, Chimento A, De Luca A, et al. Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol inhibit MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation interfering with ERK1/2 activation. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Jun;54(6):833-40.
- Menendez JA, Vazquez-Martin A, Oliveras-Ferraros C, et al. Analyzing effects of extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols on breast cancer-associated fatty acid synthase protein expression using reverse-phase protein microarrays. Int J Mol Med. 2008 Oct;22(4):433-9.
- Goulas V, Exarchou V, Troganis AN, et al. Phytochemicals in olive-leaf extracts and their antiproliferative activity against cancer and endothelial cells. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 May;53(5):600-8.
- Abdel-Hamid NM, El-Moselhy MA, El-Baz A. Hepatocyte lysosomal membrane stabilization by olive leaves against chemically induced hepatocellular neoplasia in rats. Int J Hepatol. 2011;2011:736581.
- Fares R, Bazzi S, Baydoun SE, Abdel-Massih RM. The antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of the Lebanese Olea europaea extract. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2011 Mar;66(1):58-63.
- Grawish ME, Zyada MM, Zaher AR. Inhibition of 4-NQO-induced F433 rat tongue carcinogenesis by oleuropein-rich extract. Med Oncol. 2011 Dec;28(4):1163-8.
- Acquaviva R, Di Giacomo C, Sorrenti V, et al. Antiproliferative effect of oleuropein in prostate cell lines. Int J Oncol. 2012 Jul;41(1):31-8.
- Mohagheghi F, Bigdeli MR, Rasoulian B, Hashemi P, Pour MR. The neuroprotective effect of olive leaf extract is related to improved blood-brain barrier permeability and brain edema in rat with experimental focal cerebral ischemia. Phytomedicine. 2011 Jan 15;18(2-3):170-5.
- Pan J, Konstas AA, Bateman B, Ortolano GA, Pile-Spellman J. Reperfusion injury following cerebral ischemia: pathophysiology, MR imaging, and potential therapies. Neuroradiology. 2007 Feb;49(2):93-102. Epub 2006 Dec 20.
- Dekanski D, Selakovic V, Piperski V, Radulovic Z, Korenic A, Radenovic L. Protective effect of olive leaf extract on hippocampal injury induced by transient global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in Mongolian gerbils. Phytomedicine.2011 Oct 15;18(13):1137-43.
- Khalatbary AR, Ahmadvand H. Neuroprotective effect of oleuropein following spinal cord injury in rats. Neurol Res. 2012 Jan;34(1):44-51.
- Bazoti FN, Bergquist J, Markides KE, Tsarbopoulos A. Noncovalent interaction between amyloid-beta-peptide (1-40) and oleuropein studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. 2006 Apr;17(4):568-75.
- Daccache A, Lion C, Sibille N, et al. Oleuropein and derivatives from olives as Tau aggregation inhibitors. Neurochem Int. 2011 May;58(6):700-7.
- Rigacci S, Guidotti V, Bucciantini M, et al. Abeta(1-42) aggregates into non-toxic amyloid assemblies in the presence of the natural polyphenol oleuropein aglycon. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2011 Dec;8(8):841-52.
- Flemmig J, Kuchta K, Arnhold J, Rauwald HW. Olea europaea leaf (Ph.Eur.) extract as well as several of its isolated phenolics inhibit the gout-related enzyme xanthine oxidase. Phytomedicine.2011 May 15;18(7):561-6.
- Impellizzeri D, Esposito E, Mazzon E, et al. Oleuropein aglycone, an olive oil compound, ameliorates development of arthritis caused by injection of collagen type II in mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther.2011 Dec;339(3):859-69.
- Gong D, Geng C, Jiang L, Wang L, Yoshimura H, Zhong L. Mechanisms of olive leaf extract-ameliorated rat arthritis caused by kaolin and carrageenan. Phytother Res. 2012 Mar;26(3):397-402.
- Olive leaf. Monograph. Altern Med Rev. 2009 Mar;14(1):62-6.
|
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.