Abstract
The increasing interest in the Mediterranean diet hinges on its healthy and anti-ageing properties. The composition of fatty acids, vitamins and polyphenols in olive oil, a key component of this diet, is considered a key feature of its healthy properties. Therefore, it is of significance that the Rod of Asclepius lying on a world map surrounded by olive tree branches has been chosen by the World Health Organization as a symbol of both peace and well-being. This review travels through most of the current and past research, recapitulating the biochemical and physiological correlations of the beneficial properties of olive tree (Olea europaea) polyphenols and their derivatives found in olive oil. The factors influencing the content and beneficial properties of olive oil polyphenols will also be taken into account together with their bioavailability. Finally, the data on the clinical and epidemiological relevance of olive oil and its polyphenols for longevity and against age- and lifestyle-associated pathologies such as cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases are reviewed.
Highlights
Humanity living in developed countries is experiencing an increase in life expectancy; this positive outcome seems to be at the cost of a greater incidence of lifestyle- and age-associated diseases
At the end of our itinerary through the nutraceutical properties of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and its polyphenols we should recognize that the research in this field is actively proliferating, it is becoming mandatory to accommodate the plethora of biochemical, cellular and physiological effects of EVOO polyphenols in a coherent picture
Looking at the multitude of cellular effects elicited by these compounds, that often look similar to those elicited by other plant polyphenols, one could have the uncomfortable sensation that their action is rather non-specific
Summary
Humanity living in developed countries is experiencing an increase in life expectancy; this positive outcome seems to be at the cost of a greater incidence of lifestyle- and age-associated diseases These include cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer and amyloid pathologies, both systemic (e.g., type 2 diabetes, T2DM) and neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson (PD) diseases). The increasing interest in natural polyphenols has produced a plethora of studies that have investigated their medical efficacy in vitro, in cell cultures, in model organisms and, to a lesser extent, in humans, together with the biochemical and biological modifications underlying their effects Plant polyphenols, or their molecular scaffolds, can be the starting point in developing new drugs especially designed to combat chronic inflammatory states, atherosclerosis and the risk of thrombosis related to CVDs [9], cancer [10], amyloid deposition associated with AD and T2DM, and age-associated neurodegeneration [1,11]. We review the results of the studies on the polyphenols found in the olive tree and in the EVOO and the most recent advances towards their possible clinical use, mainly concerning neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, cancer, T2DM and the metabolic syndrome
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