Oleuropein

Oleuropein is a phenolic compound found primarily in olive leaves and olive oil, recognized as a key bioactive constituent of the Mediterranean diet. It exhibits multiple pharmacological properties, including potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive (blood pressure-lowering), cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-atherogenic, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects[1][4][5]. Mechanistically, oleuropein acts as a free radical scavenger and modulates oxidative stress by inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increasing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression[4][6]. It also inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and promotes autophagy[1], which may underlie its protective effects in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease by preventing toxic protein aggregation[1]. Oleuropein has been shown to inhibit human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), relevant in breast cancer cells[1], induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines[4], lower cholesterol levels through synergistic action with other olive leaf constituents[5], improve insulin sensitivity via hypoglycemic effects[5], and exert vasodilatory actions independent of vascular endothelium integrity. Its main metabolite is hydroxytyrosol. While widely available as an ingredient in dietary supplements—often marketed as "olive leaf extract"—oleuropein itself is not an approved pharmaceutical drug for any indication.

Other names

oleuropein