Olive Leaf Extract To Fight An Infection

Olive leaf has antimicrobial properties that may help you fight off a variety of infections. Such benefits are still theoretical as of 2011 because more research on this herbal remedy is needed. Dosage, drug interactions and side effects for olive leaf still are not established. Always consult a health care provider before trying a new supplement.

Significance

One of the most studied active components in olive leaf is called oleuropein. Others include caffeic acid, verbascoside, rutin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, apigenin 7-O-glucoside and luteolin 4'-O-glucoside. Thanks to such constituents, even at low concentrations olive leaf has an unusual combined antifungal and antibacterial action, according to a 2007 study published in "Molecules." That means olive leaf has excellent potential as a nutraceutical, or food supplement that has medical or health benefits, notes lead study author A.P. Pereira.

Fungal Infections

In laboratory studies, olive leaf is effective against the organism that causes yeast infections, Candida albicans, according to Pereira. It also has action against another fungal infection that humans are susceptible to called Cryptococcus neoformans. Life-threatening infections caused by this yeast-like pathogen have been on the rise since 2000 due to the expanded use of immunosuppressive drugs used to treat AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Viral Infections

The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine is investigating olive leaf extract for possible benefits to HIV patients. The extract has antiviral activity that may be capable of reversing some HIV-1 infection-associated changes in cells, says S. Lee-Huang, lead author for a study published in "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications." However, more research is needed to see if olive leaf is effective in humans for this purpose. Olive leaf has theoretical benefits for other viral infections as well, such as viral haemorrhagic septicaemia, which affects fish, according to a 2005 study published in "Antiviral Research."

Bacterial Infections

Olive leaf appears effective against a variety of bacterial infections, according to Pereira. These include those that cause foodborne illnesses like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. Olive leaf also shows action against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections, surgical wound infections and bloodstream infections. Olive leaf may be effective against Klebsiella pneumonia as well. This is the most common hospital-acquired pathogen, according to the CDC. Klebsiella pneumonia causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections and intraabdominal infections. While laboratory research appears promising, more study is needed to see if olive leaf is effective against such organisms in humans.