Food supplementation with an olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract reduces blood pressure in borderline hypertensive monozygotic twins

Abstract

Hypertension is a harmful disease factor that develops unnoticed over time. The treatment of hypertension is aimed at an early diagnosis followed by adequate lifestyle changes rather than pharmacological treatment. The olive leaf extract EFLA943, having antihypertensive actions in rats, was tested as a food supplement in an open study including 40 borderline hypertensive monozygotic twins. Twins of each pair were assigned to different groups receiving 500 or 1000 mg/day EFLA943 for 8 weeks, or advice on a favourable lifestyle. Body weight, heart rate, blood pressure, glucose and lipids were measured fortnightly. Blood pressure changed significantly within pairs, depending on the dose, with mean systolic differences of < or =6 mmHg (500 mg vs control) and < or =13 mmHg (1000 vs 500 mg), and diastolic differences of < or =5 mmHg. After 8 weeks, mean blood pressure remained unchanged from baseline in controls (systolic/diastolic: 133 +/- 5/77 +/- 6 vs 135 +/- 11/80 +/- 7 mmHg) and the low-dose group (136 +/- 7/77 +/- 7 vs 133 +/- 10/76 +/- 7), but had significantly decreased for the high dose group (137 +/- 10/80 +/- 10 vs 126 +/- 9/76 +/- 6). Cholesterol levels decreased for all treatments with significant dose-dependent within-pair differences for LDL-cholesterol. None of the other parameters showed significant changes or consistent trends. Concluding, the study confirmed the antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering action of EFLA943 in humans.

Oleuropein using as an Additive for Feed and Products used for Humans

“…However, human studies are needed to clearly establish olive leaf as a potential treatment for high blood pressure [42]. With this respect, a prophylactic blood pressure lowers and cholesterol lowers actions of the olive leaf extract EFLA ® 943 in human was studied by Perrinjaquet-Moccetti et al [38]. The study confirmed the antihypertensive and cholesterol lowering actions of the extract in human [38].…”

“…By increasing nitric oxide production, oleuropein appears to arm the macrophages against endotoxins (bacterial poisons generated by gram-negative bacteria). Interestingly, oleuropein only increased nitric oxide production when endotoxins were present [5,38].…”

“…The cholesterol lowering effects of olive leaf extracts are thought to come from oleuropein, a substance contained within the leaf. Studies on hypercholesterolemic rats have shown that olive leaf extracts are more effective at lowering cholesterol than pure oleuropein [36,37,38].…”

“…In usual, the treatment of hypertension is aimed at an early diagnosis followed by adequate lifestyle changes rather than pharmacological treatment [38].…”

“…It is pointed out that if these people would improve their dietary and exercise habits, they would all experience some improvement in energy levels and reducing fatigue. However, olive leaf represents an easy way to quickly fight the problem [38].…”