Variations, trends and forecast models for the airborne Olea europaea pollen season in Tétouan (NW of Morocco).

Olea europaea L. is an emblematic tree plantation of the Mediterranean basin and one of the main sources of allergenic pollen. In this study, we examined variations in airborne Olea pollen season, trends and built forecast models based on multiple regression analysis over a 13-year period (2008-2019, 2022) in NW of Morocco (Tétouan), focusing on start date of pollination (SDP), end date of pollination (EDP), peak date (PD), and pre-peak pollen Integral (PPI). Spearman's correlation analysis highlighted the importance of different pre-season meteorological parameters on the features of Olea pollen season depending on the period considered. SDP became earlier with increasing minimum temperature in March, while EDP was mainly influenced by precipitation in February and PD is earlier with increasing maximum temperature and precipitation in February. Linear regression results indicated a trend toward a shorter pollination period, almost significant, by delaying SDP rather than earlier EDP, probably due to the significant decrease in minimum temperature between January and April. The best regression models predicted the characteristics of the Olea pollen season to within 2 days and a value close to the PPI at 45 pollen*day/m3, and achieved an accuracy between 58 and 95%. The strongest predictors when forecasting SDP, EDP, PD and PPI were minimum temperature in March, precipitation in April, maximum temperature in February and minimum temperature in November, respectively. Findings suggest that olive reproductive cycle is considerably dependent on pre-season meteorological parameters. Further performed statistical analysis should be made to improve traditional models using a long data series.

Combining proximal and remote sensing to assess 'Calatina' olive water status.

Developing an efficient and sustainable precision irrigation strategy is crucial in contemporary agriculture. This study aimed to combine proximal and remote sensing techniques to show the benefits of using both monitoring methods, simultaneously assessing the water status and response of 'Calatina' olive under two distinct irrigation levels: full irrigation (FI), and drought stress (DS, -3 to -4 MPa). Stem water potential (Ψstem) and stomatal conductance (gs) were monitored weekly as reference indicators of plant water status. Crop water stress index (CWSI) and stomatal conductance index (Ig) were calculated through ground-based infrared thermography. Fruit gauges were used to monitor continuously fruit growth and data were converted in fruit daily weight fluctuations (ΔW) and relative growth rate (RGR). Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference RedEdge index (NDRE), green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI), chlorophyll vegetation index (CVI), modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), water index (WI), normalized difference greenness index (NDGI) and green index (GI) were calculated from data collected by UAV-mounted multispectral camera. Data obtained from proximal sensing were correlated with both Ψstem and gs, while remote sensing data were correlated only with Ψstem. Regression analysis showed that both CWSI and Ig proved to be reliable indicators of Ψstem and gs. Of the two fruit growth parameters, ΔW exhibited a stronger relationship, primarily with Ψstem. Finally, NDVI, GNDVI, WI and NDRE emerged as the vegetation indices that correlated most strongly with Ψstem, achieving high R2 values. Combining proximal and remote sensing indices suggested two valid approaches: a more simplified one involving the use of CWSI and either NDVI or WI, and a more comprehensive one involving CWSI and ΔW as proximal indices, along with WI as a multispectral index. Further studies on combining proximal and remote sensing data will be necessary in order to find strategic combinations of sensors and establish intervention thresholds.

A multilevel LC-HRMS and NMR correlation workflow towards foodomics advancement: Application in table olives.

Foodomics employs advanced analytical techniques to provide answers regarding food composition, authenticity control, marker identification and issues related to food quality and safety. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and chromatography hyphenated to mass spectrometry (MS) are the main analytical platforms used in this field. Nevertheless, they are rarely employed in an integrated manner, and even then, the contribution of each technique remains vague. Table olives (Olea europaea L.) are a food commodity of high economic and nutritional value with an increasing production tendency over the last two decades, which, however, suffers from extensive fraud incidents and quality determination uncertainties. Thus, the current attempt aims towards two axes with the first being the multilevel integration of LC-HRMS and NMR data of the same samples and table olives being the selected matrix. In more detail, UPLC-HRMS/MS-based analysis was compared at different stages within an untargeted metabolomics workflow with an NMR-based study and the complementarity of the two platforms was evaluated. Furthermore, statistical heterospectroscopy (SHY), rarely employed in foodomics, combining the spectroscopic with spectrometric datasets and aiming to increase the confidence level of annotated biomarkers was applied. Amongst these lines, the second parallel axis of this study was the detailed characterization of table olives' metabolome in search for quality markers considering the impact of geographical (from Northern to Southern Greece) and botanical origin (Kalamon, Konservolia, Chalkidikis cultivars), as well as processing parameters (Spanish, Greek). To that end, using deep dereplication tools including statistical methods, with SHY employed for the first time in table olives, different biomarkers, belonging to the classes of phenyl alcohols, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, secoiridoids and triterpenoids were identified as responsible for the observed classifications. The current binary pipeline, focusing on biomarkers' identification confidence, could be suggested as a meaningful workflow not only in olive-based products, but also in food quality control and foodomics in general.

Nutraceutical Valorization of Exhausted Olive Pomace from Olea europaea L. Using Advanced Extraction Techniques.

Exhausted olive pomace (EOP) represents the principal residue of olive pomace. Several studies have optimized the extraction of specialized metabolites from the EOP of Olea europaea L., but a comparison between different extractive methods has not been made. For this reason, the present investigation aims to compare four different extractive methods by using water and 15% ethanol/water as extractive solvents. Specifically, based on extract antioxidant activity, the methods compared were maceration (MAC), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE). Between these, the UAE and ASE hydroalcoholic EOP extracts were demonstrated to have the highest antioxidant activity. Subsequently, these extracts were investigated for their hypoglycemic and antiradical activity using in vitro cell-free and cell-based assays, respectively. ASE hydroalcoholic EOP extract demonstrated the greatest ability to inhibit the α-amylase enzyme and an in vitro antioxidant activity comparable to N-acetyl cysteine in HepG2 cells. UAE and ASE extracts' phytochemical characterization was also performed, identifying seven phenolic compounds, including 3-hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and, for the first time, salidroside. The ASE hydroalcoholic EOP extract was the richest from a phytochemical point of view, thus confirming its major biological activity. Therefore, ASE and 15% ethanol/water may represent the best extractive method for EOP nutraceutical valorization.

Olive Tree Belowground Microbiota: Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria and Fungi.

The olive tree is one of the most significant crops in the Mediterranean region. Its remarkable adaptability to various environments has facilitated olive cultivation across diverse regions and agricultural scenarios. The rising global demand for olive products, coupled with climate challenges, is driving changes in cultivation methods. These changes are altering the traditional landscape and may potentially reshape the structure and composition of orchard microbial communities, which can impact productivity and stress tolerance. Bacterial and fungal communities naturally associated with plants have long been recognized as crucial for plant growth and health, serving as a vital component of sustainable agriculture. In this review, we aim to highlight the significance of olive cultivation and the impact of abiotic stresses. We update the current knowledge on the profiles of rhizosphere and root fungal and bacterial communities in olive orchards and examine how (a)biotic factors influence these communities. Additionally, we explore the potential of plant growth-promoting bacteria and fungi in enhancing olive physiological performance and stress tolerance. We identify knowledge gaps and emphasize the need for implementing new strategies. A comprehensive understanding of olive-associated microbiota will aid in developing sustainable agronomic practices to address climatic challenges and meet the growing demand for olive products.

Polyphenol-Rich Extracts from Agroindustrial Waste and Byproducts: Results and Perspectives According to the Green Chemistry and Circular Economy.

Polyphenols are natural secondary metabolites found in plants endowed with multiple biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, and anticancer). In view of these properties, they find many applications and are used as active ingredients in nutraceutical, food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic formulations. In accordance with green chemistry and circular economy strategies, they can also be recovered from agroindustrial waste and reused in various sectors, promoting sustainable processes. This review described structural characteristics, methods for extraction, biological properties, and applications of polyphenolic extracts obtained from two selected plant materials of the Mediterranean area as olive (Olea europaea L.) and pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) based on recent literature, highlighting future research perspectives.

HS-SPME-GC-MS and Chemometrics for the Quality Control and Clustering of Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A 3-Year Study on Terpenes and Pentene Dimers of Italian Cultivars.

Terpenes and pentene dimers are less studied volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but are associated with specific features of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs). This study aimed to analyze mono- and sesquiterpenes and pentene dimers of Italian monovarietal EVOOs over 3 years (14 cultivars, 225 samples). A head space-solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) method recently validated was used for terpene and pentene dimer quantitation. The quantitative data collected were used for both the characterization and clustering of the cultivars. Sesquiterpenes were the molecules that most characterized the different cultivars, ranging from 3.908 to 38.215 mg/kg; different groups of cultivars were characterized by different groups of sesquiterpenes. Pentene dimers (1.336 and 3.860 mg/kg) and monoterpenes (0.430 and 1.794 mg/kg) showed much lower contents and variability among cultivars. The application of Kruskal-Wallis test-PCA-LDA-HCA to the experimental data allowed defining 4 clusters of cultivars and building a predictive model to classify the samples (94.3% correct classification). The model was further tested on 33 EVOOs, correctly classifying 91% of them.

Simultaneous Exposure to Noise and Toluene Induces Oxidative and Inflammatory Damage in the Heart of Wistar Rats: Therapeutic Potential of Olea europaea L. Leaf Extract.

Workers in occupational settings often face simultaneous exposure to multiple risk factors, including noise and chemicals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of combined exposure to noise and toluene on the cardiac health of rats, with a focus on assessing the potential mitigating effects of Olea europaea L. (OLE) leaf extract (40 mg/kg/day). The evaluation involved scrutinizing biochemical and hematological markers, quantifying oxidative stress levels, determining proinflammatory cytokines in the serum, and conducting an in silico Docking studies. Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups-(n = 6/group):-Control-group-(C),-OLE-group-(Rats administered OLE), NT-group (rats co-exposed to noise and toluene), NT-4 group-(rats co-exposed to noise and toluene four weeks after the exposure period), NT + OLE1-group (rats co-exposed to noise and toluene treated with OLE for one week), NT + OLE2-group-(rats co-exposed to noise and toluene treated with OLE for two weeks), NT + OLE3-group-(rats co-exposed to noise and toluene treated with OLE for three weeks), and NT + OLE4-group (rats co-exposed to noise and toluene treated with OLE for four weeks). The results revealed that combined exposure to noise and toluene led to oxidative damage and increased serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines. However, OLE treatment attenuated these effects by reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Additionally, OLE treatment significantly decreased proinflammatory cytokine levels compared to the noise and toluene co-exposed group. The study highlighted the potential of OLE to attenuate the adverse effects of combined exposure to noise and toluene, attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Metabolome classification of olive by-products from different oil presses providing insights into its potential health benefits and valorization as analyzed via multiplex MS-based techniques coupled to chemometrics.

INTRODUCTION: The Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most popular edible oil-producing fruits, consumed worldwide for its myriad nutritional and health benefits. Olive oil production generates huge quantities of by-products from the fruit, which are considered environmental hazards. Recently, more and more efforts have been made to valorize olive by-products as a source of low-cost, value-added food applications. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to globally assess the metabolome of olive fruit by-products, including olive mill wastewater, olive pomace, and olive seeds from fruits from two areas, Siwa and Anshas, Egypt. METHODS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) were used for profiling primary and secondary metabolites in olive by-products. Also, multivariate data analyses were used to assess variations between olive by-product samples. RESULTS: A total of 103 primary metabolites and 105 secondary metabolites were identified by GC-MS and UPLC-MS, respectively. Fatty acids amounted to a major class in the olive by-products at 53-91%, with oleic acid dominating, especially in the pomace of Siwa. Mill wastewater was discriminated from other by-products by the presence of phenolics mainly tyrosol, hydroxyl tyrosol, and α-tocopherol as analyzed by UPLC-MS indicating their potential antioxidant activity. Pomace and seeds were rich in fatty acids/esters and hydroxy fatty acids and not readily distinguishable from each other. CONCLUSION: The current work discusses the metabolome profile of olive waste products for valorization purposes. Pomace and seeds were enriched in fatty acids/esters, though not readily distinguishable from each other.

Olea europaea L. leaf extract mitigates pulmonary inflammation and tissue destruction in Wistar rats induced by concurrent exposure to noise and toluene.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of combined exposure to noise (85 dB(A)) and inhaled Toluene (300 ± 10 ppm) on rat lung health. It also aimed to assess the potential therapeutic effects of Olea europaea L. leaves extract (OLE) (40 mg/kg/day) using biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses, as well as determination of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1ß), and in silico Docking studies. The experiment involved forty-two male Wistar rats divided into seven groups, each exposed to a 6-week/6-hour/day regimen of noise and Toluene. The groups included a control group, rats co-exposed to noise and Toluene, and rats co-exposed to noise and Toluene treated with OLE for different durations. The results indicated that noise and Toluene exposure led to structural damage in lung tissue, oxidative harm, and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1ß). However, the administration of OLE extract demonstrated positive effects in mitigating these adverse outcomes. OLE treatment reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, indicating its anti-oxidant properties. Furthermore, OLE significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to the groups exposed to noise and Toluene without OLE treatment. Moreover, the in silico investigation substantiated a robust affinity between COX-2 and OLE components, affirming the anti-inflammatory activity. Overall, our findings suggest that OLE possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties that mitigate the adverse effects of concurrent exposure to noise and Toluene.

Dodine an effective alternative to copper for controlling Venturia oleaginea, the causal agent of pea-cock eye disease, in highly infected olive trees.

A trial was carried out in central Italy in an olive orchard of cultivar Moraiolo, highly infected by Venturia oleaginea. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the effects of autumn and spring applications of copper oxychloride or dodine to control the disease. Non treated trees were used as the control. The effects of the fungal attacks on leaves and inflorescence development confirmed the high susceptibility of the cultivar Moraiolo to the disease. The results show that in trees heavily infected, but with most of the infected leaves at the early stage of the disease (asymptomatic phase), treatments with dodine had a curative effect, with consequent reduction in the appearance of symptomatic leaves and defoliation with respect to the control or copper-treated trees. The use of dodine against the autumnal attacks of V. oleaginea allowed most of the old leaves to be maintained until the new ones had formed, which is important for the growth processes during the early part of the growing season. Overall, the results indicate that to efficiently control the pathogen using copper compounds, treatments must start soon after the beginning of the attack and be repeated in order to maintain the infection at a low level. Dodine can be efficiently used if there is a great increase in infected leaves. The use of dodine to solve particular situations and not for normal repeated use is regulated by the fact that in some countries, Italy included, protocols for integrated pest management allow only one dodine treatment/year.

Unveiling the silver lining: examining the effects of biogenic silver nanoparticles on the growth dynamics of in vitro olive shoots.

The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on growth behavior and leaf anatomy of in vitro growing shoots of 'Picual' and 'Dolce' olive cultivars. Biosynthesis of AgNPs was carried out using the cell-free filtrate of Fusarium oxysporum. The dimension and shape of the synthesized AgNPs have been analyzed using spectroscopy and topography analysis tools, confirming that the biosynthesis of AgNPs is a crystalline nanostructure with an average particle size of 37 nm. The shoots of the selected olive cultivars were cultured on Rugini olive medium-supplemented AgNPs at 0, 10, 20, and 30mg L- 1. The effect of genotypes on shoot multiplication was significant, 'Picual' recorded higher values of shoot growth parameters compared with 'Dolce' cultivar. Adding AgNPs to the culture medium significantly affected the growth of in vitro olive shoots. AgNPs at 20 and 30mg L- 1 produced higher values of the number of shoots, shoot length, and leaf number of Picual cv. compared with the control treatments, but the higher AgNPs concentration harmed the growth parameters of Dolce cv. and recorded lower growth values compared with the lower concentration (10mg L- 1). AgNPs had a significant effect on leaf morphology and their anatomical structure. The current results showed that the stimulatory effect of AgNPs on shoot growth of in vitro olive shoots is highly dependent on plant genotype and nanoparticle concentration.

Encapsulation of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Pruning Waste Particles by Supercritical CO2 Technology.

Olive leaves (Olea europaea L.) contain a multitude of bioactive compounds such as sterols, carotenes, triterpenic alcohols and phenolic compounds. These compounds have been shown to exhibit antiviral, antioxidant, candida-growth-inhibitory, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. In this sense, submicron particles from olive leaves with antioxidant activity were precipitated by supercritical antisolvent extraction in a previous work. Moreover, encapsulation enables the delayed release of compounds and avoids the first-step effect in medical therapies. Therefore, this work focused on encapsulation of particles with a certain antioxidant capacity from olive pruning waste using supercritical technology. A variety of experiments were carried out to test how the different operating variables (pressure, temperature and extract-polymer ratio) affect. Morphology was analyzed by SEM microscopy, obtaining encapsulates between 1 and 5 microns in size. The antioxidant capacity was determined by the DPPH assay, with most of the encapsulates having AAI values between 0.5 and 1 (moderate antioxidant capacity). An increase in polyphenol content was observed in the 1:3 ratio tests. The release of the compounds in gastric simulated medium was retarded by the polymeric encapsulation, while in intestinal fluid, the solubility was improved compared to the unencapsulated particles. Overall, the supercritical encapsulation process for the natural extract of olive pruning residues has proven to be effective in obtaining antioxidant particles with different release profiles.

Revealing the Diversity and Complex Relationships of Croatian Olive Germplasm.

Olive growing in Croatia has a long tradition and is of great economic and social impact. The present study includes a set of 108 tree samples (88 samples corresponding to 60 presumed cultivars and 20 trees of unnamed ones) collected from 27 groves in the entire olive growing area, and is the most comprehensive survey to be conducted in Croatia. The genetic diversity, relationships, and structures of olive plants were studied using eight microsatellite loci. All loci were polymorphic and revealed a total of 90 alleles. A total of 74 different genotypes were detected that were subjected to further diversity and genetic relationship studies. The Fitch-Margoliash tree and Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed a complex relationship between the identified olive genotypes, which were clustered into three gene pools, indicating different origins of Croatian olive germplasms. Excluding the redundant germplasms, 44 different genotypes among the sampled trees of well-known cultivars and 16 new local germplasms were identified. In addition, we provide the etymology of 46 vernacular names, which confirms that the vast majority of traditional Croatian cultivars have common and widespread names. The results presented herein underline the importance of safeguarding local cultivars and conducting continuous surveys.

Effect of heterologous expression of FT gene from Medicago truncatula in growth and flowering behavior of olive plants.

Olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) is one of the most important crops of the Mediterranean Basin and temperate areas worldwide. Obtaining new olive varieties adapted to climatic changing conditions and to modern agricultural practices, as well as other traits such as biotic and abiotic stress resistance and increased oil quality, is currently required; however, the long juvenile phase, as in most woody plants, is the bottleneck in olive breeding programs. Overexpression of genes encoding the 'florigen' Flowering Locus T (FT), can cause the loss of the juvenile phase in many perennials including olives. In this investigation, further characterization of three transgenic olive lines containing an FT encoding gene from Medicago truncatula, MtFTa1, under the 35S CaMV promoter, was carried out. While all three lines flowered under in vitro conditions, one of the lines stopped flowering after acclimatisation. In soil, all three lines exhibited a modified plant architecture; e.g., a continuous branching behaviour and a dwarfing growth habit. Gene expression and hormone content in shoot tips, containing the meristems from which this phenotype emerged, were examined. Higher levels of OeTFL1, a gene encoding the flowering repressor TERMINAL FLOWER 1, correlated with lack of flowering. The branching phenotype correlated with higher content of salicylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid and isopentenyl adenosine, and lower content of abscisic acid. The results obtained confirm that heterologous expression of MtFTa1 in olive induced continuous flowering independently of environmental factors, but also modified plant architecture. These phenotypical changes could be related to the altered hormonal content in transgenic plants.

Antioxidant polysaccharide-enriched fractions obtained from olive leaves by ultrasound-assisted extraction with α-amylase inhibition, and antiproliferative activities.

Polysaccharide-rich materials were extracted from the alcohol-insoluble solids of Olea europaea l. **leaves. Structural characteristics were determined by colorimetric techniques, FT-IR, GC-MS, SEC/MALS/VD/DRI, and NMR (1H,13C). The extract and its main macromolecular components were characterized to assess their ability toward antioxidant, α-amylase inhibition, and antiproliferative activities. Results revealed that the ultrasound olive leave extract comprises polysaccharides with uronic acid, galactose, arabinose, and glucose in molar percentages of 11.7%, 11.3%, 7.5%, and 4.9% respectively, constituting 41% of the total mass. In addition, polyphenols (21%) and proteins (9%) are associated with these polysaccharides. Further, the extract showed noticeable ORAC and free radical scavenging abilities, in addition to high in vitro antiproliferative activity against Caco-2 colon carcinoma cell lines. Similarly, the extract exhibited a strong, uncompetitive inhibition of α-amylase by 75% in the presence of the extract with 0.75 µg/mL of concentration. This research concludes that ultrasound extraction method can be used for the extraction of polysaccharide-polyphenol-protein complexes. These conjugates exhibit the potential for combined biological activities resulting from a synergistic effect of its compounds, making them promising ingredients for the development of functional food.

No- or Low-Content Copper Compounds for Controlling Venturia oleaginea, the Causal Agent of Olive Leaf Spot Disease.

The efficacy of using a synthetic (azoxystrobin + difenoconazole), copper-based (copper oxychloride) and low-content copper compound (copper complexed with gluconate and lignosulphonate) fungicides for controlling Venturia oleaginea, the causal agent of olive spot disease, was evaluated in an olive (cv. Nabali) orchard located in the Kafr Qud area (Palestine) in 2017-2018. Treatments were applied at three different times (February, April, and August). In January 2017, at the beginning of the experiment, about 90% of the leaves grown in 2016 were infected. Defoliation was determined by counting the leaves on the labeled branches initially and then periodically. It increased gradually in both the control and treated trees, but those treated with azoxystrobin + difenoconazole or with copper complexed with gluconate and lignosulphonate showed a slower defoliation rate. During 2017, new shoots grew and new leaves developed. All treatments reduced the drop of new leaves with respect to the control, with positive effects on the reproductive activity (inflorescence growth and yield). Overall, all treatments significantly reduced the disease, thus indicating the possibility of greatly reducing infections if treatments are regularly applied each year, also with traditional (copper-based) fungicides. Due to their capability of penetrating inside the vegetative tissue, azoxystrobin + difenoconazole or copper complexed with gluconate and lignosulphonate reduced/slowed down the drop of infected leaves. The use of these fungicides is therefore particularly recommended when olive leaf spot disease is severe. The use of low-content copper compounds allows the amount of metallic copper used for the treatments against V. oleaginea to be greatly reduced.

Olea europaea L-derived secoiridoids: Beneficial health effects and potential therapeutic approaches.

Over the years, health challenges have become increasingly complex and global and, at the beginning of the 21st century, chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, neurological, and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as cancer and diabetes, have been identified by World Health Organization as one of the biggest threats to human health. Recently, antimicrobial resistance has also emerged as a growing problem of public health for the management of infectious diseases. In this scenario, the exploration of natural products as supplementation or alternative therapeutic options is acquiring great importance, and, among them, the olive tree, Olea europaea L, specifically leaves, fruits, and oil, has been increasingly investigated for its health promoting properties. Traditionally, these properties have been largely attributed to the high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, although, in recent years, beneficial effects have also been associated to other components, particularly polyphenols. Among them, the most interesting group is represented by Olea europaea L secoiridoids, comprising oleuropein, oleocanthal, oleacein, and ligstroside, which display anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective, neuroprotective and anticancer activities. This review provides an overview of the multiple health beneficial effects, the molecular mechanisms, and the potential applications of secoiridoids from Olea europaea L.

Liposomal formulations of Oleae europaea L.: analyzing the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities along with toxicity profile in pancreatic beta TC6 cell line.

Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae), is rich in phenolic content and has powerful antioxidant and antidiabetic activity. However, there are no medicinal products prepared due to this feature. Therefore, this study aims to characterize an O. europaea extract with strong antioxidant and antidiabetic properties and to prepare nanoformulations containing this extract. To determine the activities of the extracts prepared from the leaves of the plant, DPPH• and ABTS•+ scavenging, Fe+3 reducing activity, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibition assays were performed. The oleuropein content of the absolute ethanol extract with the highest activity was analysed by HPLC. The characterized extract was loaded into liposomes and chitosan coated liposomes, and the long-term sustainability of their activity was investigated. The encapsulation efficiency was 65.2% for the liposome and 66.8% for the chitosan-coated liposome formulation. The amounts of the extracts released from the formulations were evaluated to exhibit antioxidant and antidiabetic activity.

Ifanosine: Olea europaea L. and Hyphaene thebaica L. combination, from traditional utilization to rational formulation: Preclinical and clinical efficacy on hypertensives patients.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Olea europaea L. and Hyphaene thebaica L. are commonly employed by traditional healers in Africa for treating and preventing hypertension, either individually or in a polyherbal preparation (Ifanosine). AIM OF THE STUDY: The primary aim was to assess the antihypertensive effects of Olea europaea L. leaves aqueous extract (OEL), Hyphaene thebaica L. mesocarp extract (HT), and the Ifanosine on isolated rat aorta rings. The secondary objective was to evaluate the clinical benefits of a new oral formulation of Ifanosine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro studies using an isometric transducer examined the antihypertensive effects of HT, OEL, and Ifanosine on rat aorta. Ussing chambers technic were employed to measure mucosal to serosal fluxes and total transepithelial electrical conductance (Gt) to assess the intestinal bioavailability of HT, OEL, and Ifanosine. HPLC was utilized to determine the phytochemical composition of OEL and HT extracts. Subchronic toxicity investigations involved two groups of rats, treated with either water (control) or Ifanosine at 5 g/kg for 28 days. Clinical benefits of the new Ifanosine formulation were evaluated in an observational study with 32 hypertensive patients receiving a fixed oral dose of 3.5 mg three times a day for 30 days. RESULTS: Aqueous extracts induced dose-dependent relaxation of rat aorta rings, with HT and OEL having higher IC50 values than Ifanosine (IC50 = 44.76 ± 1.35 ng/mL, 58.67 ± 1.02 ng/mL, and 29.46 ± 0.26 ng/mL, respectively). The pA2 values of OEL and HT were 1 and 0.6, respectively, while Ifanosine was 0.06. Intestinal bioavailability studies revealed better Prazosin bioavailability than plant extracts. Toxicological studies demonstrated the safety of Ifanosine, supported by histological examinations and biochemical parameters in rat blood. Biochemical analyses indicated flavonoids and phenolic acids as dominant active constituents. Clinical benefits in humans included reduced SBP, DBP, LDL-c, VLDL-c, and TAG, and increased HDL-c without overt adverse effects. CONCLUSION: This study validates the traditional use of OEL and HT for hypertension and advocates for alternative and combinatorial polyphytotherapy (ACP) to enhance traditional remedies.