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Review
. 2018 Feb 28;19(3):686.
doi: 10.3390/ijms19030686.

Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols

Monika Gorzynik-Debicka  1 , Paulina Przychodzen  2 , Francesco Cappello  3   4 , Alicja Kuban-Jankowska  5 , Antonella Marino Gammazza  6   7 , Narcyz Knap  8 , Michal Wozniak  9 , Magdalena Gorska-Ponikowska  10   11
Affiliations
Review

Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols

Monika Gorzynik-Debicka et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Beneficial effects of natural plant polyphenols on the human body have been evaluated in a number of scientific research projects. Bioactive polyphenols are natural compounds of various chemical structures. Their sources are mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, roots, bark, leaves of different plants, herbs, whole grain products, processed foods (dark chocolate), as well as tea, coffee, and red wine. Polyphenols are believed to reduce morbidity and/or slow down the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. Biological activity of polyphenols is strongly related to their antioxidant properties. They tend to reduce the pool of reactive oxygen species as well as to neutralize potentially carcinogenic metabolites. A broad spectrum of health-promoting properties of plant polyphenols comprises antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-atherogenic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-mutagenic effects. Scientific studies present the ability of polyphenols to modulate the human immune system by affecting the proliferation of white blood cells, and also the production of cytokines or other factors that participate in the immunological defense. The aim of the review is to focus on polyphenols of olive oil in context of their biological activities.

Keywords: Olea europea; anticancer therapy; hydroxytyrosol; oleuropein; olive oil; polyphenols.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The concentration of polyphenols in differnet kinds of oilve oil depending on technological process of the oil extraction [25].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Anticancer mechanisms of polyphenols from olive oil [62].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Anticancer effects of olive oil polyphenols [115].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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