Authors
Visioli F. Bellomo G. Galli C.
Institution
Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
Title
Free radical-scavenging
properties of olive oil polyphenols.
Source
Biochemical & Biophysical Research Communications. 247(1):60-4, 1998 Jun 9.
Abstract
Plants in the Mediterranean basin, such as vine and olive trees, have
developed an array of antioxidant defences to protect themselves from
environmental stress. Accordingly, the incidence of coronary heart disease
and certain cancers is lower in the Mediterranean area, where olive oil is
the dietary fat of choice. As opposed to other vegetable oils, extra virgin
olive oil, which is obtained by physical pressure from a whole fruit, is rich
in phenolic components that are responsible for the particular stability of
the oil. We have investigated the scavenging actions of some
olive oil phenolics, namely hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, with respect to
superoxide anion generation, neutrophils respiratory burst, and hypochlorous
acid. The low EC50S indicate that both compounds are potent scavengers of
superoxide radicals and inhibitors of neutrophils
respiratory burst: whenever demonstrated in vivo, these
properties may partially explain the observed lower
incidence of CHD and cancer associated with the Mediterranean diet.