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Olive Leaf
Other Names: Oleae europaea, Oleae folium, Olivier Who is this for? Uses One of the most active chemicals found in the leaves of olive trees is known as oleuropein. In animal studies, oleuropein not only prevented the development of high blood pressure but also reduced existing high blood pressure. Although the possible reasons for these effects are not known, it is thought that oleuropein may relax blood vessels, and it may also prevent deposits of plaque that lead to arteriosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries". A few small human studies of olive leaf for controlling high blood pressure have been inconclusive and more studies are needed to confirm or deny these effects. In other studies, olive leaf extract appeared to lower blood sugar levels in laboratory animals with diabetes. It is believed that olive leaf has a dual effect -- it may cause more glucose to be utilized by the body and it may also stimulate the release of insulin. Few results are available from human studies, however. More research into the possible blood sugar-lowering effects of olive leaf is needed before it can be recommended for this use. In recently reported laboratory studies, extracts of olive leaf have shown anti-infective properties. Extracts are concentrated liquid preparations usually made by soaking chopped or mashed plant parts in a liquid such as alcohol, and then straining out the solid parts. In separate studies, contact with olive leaf extract killed specific types of bacteria and slowed the growth of some skin fungi. Another laboratory study found that an extract of olive leaf interfered with some of the infective properties of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Much more study in animals and humans is needed to confirm or disprove the potential anti-infective effects of olive leaf extract. |