Laboratory of Physiopathology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil.
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Food Science and Technology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, I-70126 Bari, Italy.
Molecules. 2024 Sep 7;29(17):4249. doi: 10.3390/molecules29174249.
Olive trees not only produce olives but also generate a substantial amount of waste and by-products, including leaves, pomace (the solid remains after pressing olives for oil), and wastewater from the olive oil-making process. The waste products, particularly the leaves, contain bioactive compounds, especially phenolic compounds, known for their health benefits, such as high antioxidant potential and the ability to reduce inflammation. These compounds have shown promise in preventing and treating cancer. This review, based on in vitro evidence, provides a detailed description and discussion of the mechanisms through which these compounds from olive leaves can prevent development, the ways they might act against cancer cells, and their potential to increase the sensitivity of tumor cells to conventional anticancer therapy. The possible synergistic effects of these compounds suggest that olive leaf extracts may offer a promising approach for cancer treatment, compared with isolated compounds, thus providing novel possibilities for cancer therapy.
橄榄树不仅生产橄榄，还产生大量的废物和副产品，包括叶子、橄榄渣（压榨橄榄油后的固体残留物）和橄榄油生产过程中的废水。这些废物，特别是叶子，含有生物活性化合物，特别是酚类化合物，以其健康益处而闻名，如高抗氧化潜力和减轻炎症的能力。这些化合物在预防和治疗癌症方面显示出了希望。基于体外证据，本综述详细描述和讨论了橄榄叶中的这些化合物预防癌症发展的机制、它们可能对抗癌细胞的作用方式，以及它们增加肿瘤细胞对传统抗癌治疗敏感性的潜力。这些化合物的可能协同作用表明，与分离化合物相比，橄榄叶提取物可能为癌症治疗提供了一种很有前途的方法，从而为癌症治疗提供了新的可能性。
