Olive Oil Phenols

Abstract

Olive oils contain numerous substances that have a beneficial role in human health. Phenols are natural compounds that are present in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), and they are produced at the malaxation step of the olive oil production. The four most abundant phenols in EVOO are oleocanthal, oleacein, ligstroside aglycon, and oleuropein aglycon. These phenols exhibit significant biological effects in many diseases, participating in various cellular and biochemical processes. Oleocanthal can protect and prevent against the Alzheimer disease, demonstrates acute antiplatelet effects, which has a vital role against cancer, and can act like ibuprofen. Oleacein has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and helps against atherosclerosis. Moreover, it acts as an antiaging factor and as a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor. Ligstroside aglycon implicates to mechanisms against breast cancer, while oleuropein aglycon shows activities against the Alzheimer disease and breast cancer.

Bioactive Secoiridoids in Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oils: Impact of Olive Plant Cultivars, Cultivation Regions and Processing

“…Although phenolic compounds occur in relatively low amounts in olive drupes and leaves, compared to other constituents, once transferred into olive oil they play an important role in determining the beneficial effects for human health [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Among them, special attention has been dedicated to compounds including a phenolic moiety but belonging, at the same time, to the class of secoiridoids.…”

“…As a consequence of enzymatic and chemical reactions occurring at different stages of olive oil production, oleuropein and ligstroside aglycones, often abbreviated as 3,4-DHPEA-EA and HPEA-EA, respectively, and oleac(e)in and oleocanthal, including a decarboxymethylated form of elenolic acid (EDA) and thus usually abbreviated as 3,4-DHPEA-EDA and HPEA-EDA, respectively, arise from oleuropein and ligstroside, according to the case. The nutraceutical properties of these compounds, with a primary focus on their antioxidant activity, have been extensively studied for almost two decades, along with their influence on organoleptic features (e.g., pungency) and on the quality of olive oil [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. During the same period, an extensive use of techniques like UV and NMR spectroscopies and then mass spectrometry, usually coupled to liquid chromatography, has led scientists to progressively unveil the peculiar structural versatility characterizing major olive oil secoiridoids [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

An Environmentally Friendly Practice Used in Olive Cultivation Capable of Increasing Commercial Interest in Waste Products from Oil Processing

“…VW causes the disposal of environmental problems due to its phenolic composition and high organic load with limited biodegradability [7]. Olive oil, the olive pomace, and the olive vegetation water contain secoiridoids, phenolic alcohols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids [8][9][10]. They are phenolic compounds with high antioxidant properties.…”

Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

“…Oleocanthal [63][64][65][66] is ~10% of the total phenolic content in EVOO; it has pronounced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and is responsible for the pungency of the fresh olive oil. Oleocanthal' anti-inflammatory activity is presented by inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2, cyclooxygenase enzymes, which catalyze important steps in inflammation pathways.…”