ABSTRACT

Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen plant, cultivated ever since ancient times and has widely been used in traditional medicine. Mediterranean diet, rich in olive and its derivatives has been associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammation and stroke. In addition to olive and its oil, olive leaf and its various beneficial properties has lately been drawing the attention of many researchers. It has been postulated that many of the beneficial effects of OLE root from the strong antioxidant effects, exerted majorly by components such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. Many considerable health-benefits of olive leaf extract (OLE) have been described in the literature, such as the effects on cardiovascular system, anticancer effects, antimicrobial effects, hypoglycemic effects and so on. In this study the antioxidant effects and some of the other health-benefitting effects of OLE are reviewed.

Keywords: Olive leaf, oleuropein, biological activities, metabolism