Leaves of the privet tree, Ligustrum obtusifolium, contain a large amount of oleuropein, a phenolic secoiridoid glycoside, which is stably kept in a compartment separate from activating enzymes. When the leaf tissue is destroyed by herbivores, enzymes localized in organelles start to activate oleuropein into a very strong protein denaturant that has protein-crosslinking and lysine-decreasing ac...

Oleuropein, a non-toxic secoiridoid derived from the olive tree, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-angiogenic agent. Here, we show it to be a potent anti-cancer compound, directly disrupting actin filaments in cells and in a cell-free assay. Oleuropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of advanced-grade tumor cell lines in a dose-responsive manner. In a novel tube-disruption assay, Ole...

Oleuropein is the most abundant biologically active phenolic compound in olives. It has been extensively studied for human health benefits but its role in plant development processes has received limited attention. Changes in the levels of oleuropein during early stages of flower formation and during fruit development and maturation were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. ...

BACKGROUND Studies have reported antioxidant effect of oleuropein in isolated rat heart. OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to investigate whether perfusion of isolated rat heart with oleuropein, before induction of ischemia or at the onset of reperfusion, had any effect on the hemodynamic parameters, infarct size and biochemical factors following ischemic - reperfusion injury. MATERIALS AN...

Patients with diabetes mellitus are likely to develop certain complication such as retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy as a result of oxidative stress and overwhelming free radicals. Treatment of diabetic patients with antioxidant may be of advantage in attenuating these complications. Oleuropein, the active constituent of olive leaf (Olea europaea), has been endowed with many beneficial an...

Functional roles of the angiotensin peptides of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) cascade can be analyzed through their corresponding proteolytic regulatory enzymes aspartyl aminopeptidase (ASAP), aminopeptidase A (APA), aminopeptidase B (APB), aminopeptidase N (APN) and insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP). These enzyme activities generate active or inactive angiotensin peptides that alter...

Previous studies have reported that oleuropein, the major constituent of olive leaves, has cardioprotective effects. There is no report related to oleuropein and ischemic-reperfusion injuries (cardiac dysfunction and myocardial infarction) as well as preconditioning in rat hearts. 56 male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=8). Group 1 as the control group and groups 2 to 7 as the treatme...

Olive oil and table olives are rich sources of biophenols, which provides a unique taste, aroma and potential health benefits. Specifically, green olive drupes are enriched with oleuropein, a bioactive biophenol secoiridoid. Olive oil contains hydrolytic derivatives such as hydroxytyrosol, oleacein and elenolate from oleuropein as well as tyrosol and oleocanthal from ligstroside. Biophenol seco...

METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Oleuropein promoted cultured human follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and induced LEF1 and Cyc-D1 mRNA expression and β-catenin protein expression in dermal papilla cells. Nuclear accumulation of β-catenin in dermal papilla cells was observed after oleuropein treatment. Topical application of oleuropein (0.4 mg/mouse/day) to C57BL/6N mice accelerated t...

BACKGROUND Olive oil and its minor constituents have been recommended as important dietary therapeutic interventions in preventive medicine. However, a question remains to be addressed: what are the effects of olive oil and its phenolic compounds on obesity-induced cardiac metabolic changes? METHODS Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups (n = 24/group): (C) receiving standard-chow; (Ob...