Posted 28 July 2009 12:42 AM http://quantumtouch.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3531030471/m/79110257 92 I have been buying books and buying books.

I knew about apple cider vinagar. I h ave known about Olive Leaf Extract for some years now. I used garlic ,onions and chicken broth to ward off the flu.My buddy used Olive Leaf Extract.I said let's switch and see that they both work the same on each other. He said Why would I eat garlic, onion and chicken broth when I can take one supplement a day.I did t ry the extract and it cured me of the flu.Everyone else had it for atleast 7 day s. My buddy and I, just fine. Then they sell the Never Get The Flu Again book.It tells you the secret that you already know.I keep getting this email to buy thi s book for a year now. So I just google this title everytime I get the email. Th ank You so much for posting. What is the missing ingredient for good health.ENZY MES!Wow I am so glad you posted that. I would of been ripped off because that is not a missing ingredient.Not with all the pineapple,Papaya,Bananas,Grapes,Mango and Yum,raw honey that I eat. And thank you for the website... www.enzymestuff.com I bet Olive Leaf Extract will be effective against The Swine Flu! ---------------http://www.detox4life.com.au/olive.html The amazingly successful results experienced with olive leaf extract throughout Hungary, has instigated the Hungarian government to adopt the herb for its Medic are system as the official anti- infectious disease remedy. Germany, Italy, Russ ia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are all currently investigating the efficacy of olive leaf extract. "It works to stop the onset of such health problems as colds and other viral dis eases, fungal, mould, and yeast invasions of many kinds, bacterial infections bo th minor and major, and protozoan parasitic infestations. Used by itself in a hi gh enough dose, olive leaf extract will expel flukes and other worms invading hu mans and animals. More that prevention, olive leaf extract offers a new safe and effective therapeutic modality in the ongoing battle against active disease pro cesses." (Dr. Morton Walker) Benefits of Taking Olive Leaf Extract Here is a partial list of the therapeutic benefits provided by taking capsules of olive leaf extract. They are: * The generalized degradation of pathological micro-organisms of all ty pes - viruses, retroviruses, bacteria, spirochetes, rickettsiae, Chlamydiae, fun gi, yeasts, moulds, protozoa, Helminths, and other parasites. * the relief of arthritic inflammations, especially osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis * the reduction of insulin dosages for better control over the risks of symptomatic diabetes * the elimination of chronic fatigue and the symptoms associated with i ts syndrome * the creation or restoration of abundant energy with prolonged stamina * the normalization of heart beat irregularities (arrhythmias) * the improvement of blood flow in cardiovascular and/or peripheral vas cular disorders * the antioxidant quenching of free radical pathology * the obliteration of fungal infections such as athlete's foot, and joc k itch * the permanent relief of malaria (from a protozoa), dengue fever (from a virus), and other exotic and deadly tropical diseases, which produce fever as a primary symptom * the prevention and effective treatment of all types of viral diseases , including the Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, the herpes viruses, human h erpes virus-6, the retroviruses, the influenza viruses, viruses of the common co

ld, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) * the reversal of almost all symptomatology connected with Candida albi cans and other organisms causing the yeast syndrome * the death and excretion of a variety of parasites, including microsco pic protozoa and macroscopic Helminth worms." Dr Robert Lyons in Budapest found the herb particularly successful in treating r espiratory diseases of bacterial origin, gastric/duodenal ulcers caused by Helic obacter pylori, Candida albicans and herpes infections in both simples and zoste r. -----------------http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=62 Dr. Renis, one of the Upjohn scientists proved that Oleuropein could kill the He rpes virus in 1969. Subsequent research by French biologists in 1992 found that all of the Herpes viruses were inhibited or killed by extracts from Olive Leaf. They included 28 references to the anti-viral action of Oleuropein in their repo rt. Research conducted at the Robert Lyons Clinic in Budapest, Hungary demonstrated such positive results against a range of infections that Olive Leaf Extract is n ow used by the Hungarian Government as an official anti-infectious disease remed y. The study included over 500 patients sufering from a variety of conditions in cluding tonsillitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, pulpitis, leukoplakia, stomatitis, herpes, bacterial skin infections and Helicobacter pylori, all respo nded extremely well to treatment with Olive Leaf Extract. Olive Leaf Extract's anti-viral activity has gained attention from practitioners working with Chronic Fatigue patients. Dr Martin, head of molecular immuno-pat hology at the University of Southern California Medical Centre has discovered un usual retroviruses in a high percentage of his patients. Chronic Fatigue Syndrom e (CFS) is associated with immune dysfunction, which allows infection with a var iety of opportunistic micro-organisms. Research into the efficacy of using Oli ve Leaf Extract for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients is continuing and recognit ion of it's anti-microbial action continues to grow. Research by the Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education & Researc h (ACCMER) found that Olive Leaf Extract was lethal to human breast and prostate cancer cells in the laboratory, and a very small study in 2006 at the Universit y of Athens, also showed that Olive Leaf Extract may have promise for cancer cas es, and based upon it's general immune enhancing properties, it may well have it 's place in a cancer protocol; please see our article Cancer: Helping to Win The Battle with Nutritional Therapy A study from the New York University School of Medicine, New York recommended th at Olive Leaf Extract be incoporated into HIV treatments after finding that it i nhibits acute infection and cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. It was also show n to to be a useful treatment for the opportunistic infections associated with H IV. As an increasing number of positive results using Olive Leaf Extract are reporte d, excitement grows about its application in many infectious conditions and in p eople with compromised immune systems. Research indicates the use of Olive Leaf Extract could be useful in many conditi ons * Chronic or recurrent viral or bacterial infections (eg. colds, flu, s ore throat, etc.) * Candida, tinea, other yeast and fungal problems * Parasitic infestation. * Gut dysbiosis (leaky gut).

Compromised immune systems

The cardiovascular benefits of Olive Oil are of course well known, but Olive Lea f Extract itself has been shown to lower cholesterol and benefit the heart and a rteries due to its powerful anti-oxidant qualities. Southern Cross University fo und that the anti-oxidant activity of Olive Leaf Extract, was more powerful than green tea, and vitamins C and E (ORAC value of 10,465 mmol TE/g compared to 5,9 37 mmol for a green tea extract). In the lates 70s, The Institute of Physiology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences found that the active ingredient Oleurope in, increased coronary artery blood flow, and further heart benefits were noted by Dr Victor Petkov, who found that Olive Leaf Extract normalised blood pressure . A further study by the University of Milan found that Oleuropein may play a po sitive role in preventing the hardening of the arteries. Extensive research shows that Olive Leaf Extract has no toxic or other adverse s ide effects, even in very high doses, it is a natural, non-toxic immune system b uilder, and a safe, highly effective food supplement with potent and proven anti -microbial action. Individuals with a high microbial load may experience a brie f "Herxheimer's Reaction" (also known as die-off), for a few days as pathogens a nd toxins leave the body, this is a positive sign of healing as the body moves t owards a state of better balance. Olive Leaf Extract and Auto-immune Disorders More often than not auto-immune disorders are kept active by the immune system b eing in a constant war of attrition against pathogenic micro-organisms. Often, this is the common Candida infection, but in other cases may involve one or more unknown virus or bacteria. By eliminating these unwelcome hosts (usually due to a low immune system, that c an be corrected with Zell Oxygen) with Olive leaf or Colloidal Silver, the immun e system calms and the autoimmune disorder usually improves, sometimes dramatica lly. Examples of auto-immune disorders are rheumatoid arthritis, MS, Lupus, Crohn's d isease, myasthenia gravis, asthma, psoriasis, macular degeneration, diabetes and many more. ------------------http://drclarkia.com/olive.asp A significant body of scientific evidence now indicates that extracts from the o live tree, including the leaves, have in their health-promoting repertoire the p otential to resist or overcome attack by an impressively wide range of infectiou s organisms as well as to generally boost the immune system. This article review s the available scientific and clinical evidence. Fever-lowering properties Interest in the potential benefits of extracts from the olive tree has stem med from two main historical sources of independent origins. The first of these, in the mid-19th century, involved repor ts of fever-lowering properties, including the ability of olive leaf extracts to prevent or cure the symptoms of malaria. In 1854, Hanbury published an article in the Pharmaceutical Journal of Provincial Transactions relating that a decoctio n of the leaves of the olive tree had been found to be extremely effective in red ucing fevers due to a severe, and otherwise often fatal, disease that had swept the island of Mytelene in 18431. The olive leaf extract was reported subsequentl y to be more effective in its fever-lowering properties than quinine. Hanbury recalled that similar observations had been made in France and Spai n many years previously (between 1811 and 1828). It appears that, in the early 1 9th century, Spanish physicians sometimes prescribed olive leaves as a febrifuge ,

and consequently, during the Spanish war of 1808 1813, the French Officiers de San te often used them to treat cases of intermittent fever 2. Hanbury went on the desc ribe how Pallas, following observations of clinical benefits3,4 made an analysis of the leaves and young bark of the olive tree and found them to contain, among other compounds, a bitter crystallisable substance which he designated as Vauque line 3. Pallas ascribed most of the febrifuge properties of the olive tree to Vauque line. Antimicrobial properties manufacturing problems The second historical source indicating that components of the olive tree h ad biologically important properties came from the European olive fermentation i ndustry. Up until the 1970s, the industry had suffered problems in the fermentat ion of olives, a process involving lactic acid pickling, because of strong resis tance of the fresh fruits to the action of lactic acid bacteria.5,6,7,8 In 1960, Panizzi et al9 had isolated a bitter glucoside, oleuropein, from o live leaves, with the empirical formula C25H32O13. The substance, later determin ed to be a phenolic compound belonging to the iridoid group,10 was also present in the olive itself. Oleuropein, as with Pallas Vauqueline , was considered to be th e source of the olive tree s powerful disease-resistant properties. It was subsequ ently found that removal of oleuropein from olives enabled fermentation to take place successfully.11,6 The olive oil manufacturing industry had also long been well aware of the r ich antibacterial properties of the olive tree. The manufacturing process involv es milling of olive paste and continuous washing with water, known as malaxation . The waste waters from this process were generally discarded; however, it was f ound that if the waters found their way into the soil, they displaced beneficial bacterial flora and adversely affected the natural biodegradation process.12,13 ,14,15 The chemical components Over a period of more than 30 years since Panizzi et al s9 isolation of oleur opein, extracts from various parts of the olive tree have been extensively inves tigated. Oleuropein appears to be present throughout the olive tree, including l eaves, buds, fruit, wood, bark and roots.16,3,17,18 Olive leaves contain around 60 90 mg per gram (dry weight) oleuropein,19 plus significant levels of a glucosidic ester of elenolic acid and hydroxytyrosol (3, 4-dihydrophenylethanol). However, it turns out that oleuropein and the products of its hydrolysis, oleuropein aglycone, elenolic acid, beta-3,4-dihydroxyphenyet hyl alcohol and methyl-o-methyl elenolate,20 are the major molecules of interest biologically. Antibacterial actions in vitro studies A variety of antibacterial actions of oleuropein and its associated compoun ds have been demonstrated in vitro. Fleming et al8 isolated six major phenolic c ompounds from green olives; one particular compound, possibly a hydrolysis produ ct of oleuropein, was much more inhibitory than oleuropein itself to the lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc mesenteroides FBB 42. Later on, the oleuropein aglyco ne and elenolic acid were found to strongly inhibit the growth of three further species of lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus cerevisiae, and Lactobacillus brevis.20 Since the aglycone is composed of elenolic acid bou nd to b-3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl alcohol, and the latter compound was not inhibi tory, the investigators concluded that elenolic acid was the inhibitory part of the aglycone molecule. Oleuropein itself was not inhibitory to these bacteria, b ut did inhibit three species of non-lactic acid bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillis subtilis and Pseudomonas solanecearum. In addition, an acid hydrolysate of an extract of oleuropein (containing hydrolysis products of oleuropein not s pecifically identified) inhibited the growth of a further eight species of bacte ria. Some more recent in vitro studies have shown that oleuropein and/or its hyd rolysis products also inhibit the germination and sporulation of Bacillus megate

rium15 and inhibit outgrowth of germinating spores of Bacillus cereus T.21 Antiviral actions In addition to its antibacterial actions, elenolic acid has been shown to b e a potent inhibitor of a wide spectrum of viruses. In search of new antiviral c ompounds, Renis22 tested the effects of the calcium salt of elenolic acid (which had proved to be the most active olive-derived compound against bacteria) on a range of viruses in vitro, and found that calcium elenolate destroyed all the vi ruses it was tested against. These included herpes, vaccinia, pseudorabies, infl uenza A (PR8), Newcastle disease, parainfluenza 3, Coxsackie A21, encephalomyoca rditis, polio 1, 2 and 3, vesicular stomatitis, Sindbis and reovirus 3 (Deering) viruses. Calcium elenolate also inhibits the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase I enz ymes (reverse transcriptases) of murine leukaemia viruses (MuLV(M) and Rauscher) ,23 and the DNA polymerase II and III enzymes of Eschericha coli24 in vitro. In addition to its in vitro effects, Soret25 showed that calcium elenolate effectiv ely reduced viral titres in vivo when given before and/or after inoculation of h amsters with myxovirus parainfluenza type 3 (HA-1 virus, strain C-243). Treatmen t with calcium elenolate, but not placebo, prevented spread of viral infection t o the lungs. Cardiovascular effects in animals Not only are Olea europea-derived compounds active against infectious organ isms; they also appear to have some interesting effects on the cardiovascular sy stem that are unrelated to their antioxidant properties (see later), including b lood-pressure- lowering and anti-arrhythmic actions, and effects on coronary blo od flow in certain situations. In anaesthetised cats, 20 40 mg/kg oleuropein caused a clear-cut, dose-depend ent drop in blood pressure lasting more than 1 hour.26 In dogs with experimental ly induced hypertension, 10 30 mg/kg oleuropein caused a sharp, long-lasting drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in three out of four animals, and a lesser, shorter-lived decrease in blood pressure in the fourth dog. The same i nvestigators found that oleuropein caused an increase in blood flow through the coronary vessels of isolated rabbit heart preparations, but no change in coronar y flow in anaesthetised cats at doses of 10 30 mg/kg. However, in a model of exper imentally disturbed coronary circulation, oleuropein (30 mg/kg intravenously) la rgely abolished the characteristic ECG (electrocardiogram) changes caused by Pit uitrin (which diminishes coronary blood flow) in conscious rabbits, when given 1 minute after the Pituitrin injection. Lastly, Petkov and Manolov26 found that o leuropein eliminated cardiac arrhythmia in dogs with induced hypertension for 1. 5 2 hours, normalised cardiac rhythm in rabbits with barium chloride-induced arrhy thmia for about 1 hour, and prevented or reduced the duration of disturbed cardi ac rhythm in rats with calcium chloride-induced arrhythmia. The pharmacological mechanisms underlying any of these effects on the heart and vasculature are unkn own. Antioxidant effects in vitro studies Oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) contributes to the development of atherosclerosis,27,28 the process underlying peripheral vascular disease, cor onary heart disease, stroke and multi-infarct dementia. Dietary composition sign ificantly affects plasma LDL-cholesterol levels and the incidence of coronary he art disease.29 Notably, the traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, grains and vegetable (mainly olive) oil, is associated with a lower incidence of coronary heart disease. Consumption of olive oil and dressed olives (both rich in oleuropein) has also been reported to lower the inc idence of cardiovascular disease.30,31 This dietary effect was initially thought to be due to the intake of a relatively low level of saturated fat and higher l evels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.32 36 However, it now app ears that natural antioxidants present in the diet may also play a part in the p revention atherosclerosis.37 39 Phenolic compounds derived from the leaves, fruits and oil of the olive tre

e (Olea europaea L) have long been known to have anti-oxidative properties.40 44 M ore recently, Le Tutour and Guedon19 demonstrated that oleuropein, hydroxytyroso l, and in particular, extracts of Olea europaea leaf (containing 19% oleuropein, 1.8% flavonoid glycosides, and 3,4-dihydroxy- phenethyl esters) were more poten t antioxidants than vitamin E or another established antioxidant, BHT, in a mode l chemical system (inhibition of oxidation of methyl linoleate in heptanol or pr opanol-water, initiated by 2,2 -azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN)). Another recent i n vitro study32 showed that oleuropein (at a concentration of 10 5 M) significantl y inhibited copper sulphate-induced oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) e xtracted from normal human plasma. Safety studies in animals Several studies in animals have provided information about the in vivo safe ty and toxicity of compounds present in extracts from Olea europaea. Elliott et al45 determined the LD50 (the dose that is lethal for at least 50% of a designat ed population of laboratory animals) for calcium elenolate to be 120 mg/kg in mi ce when given intraperitoneally, and 160 mg/kg in rats via the intraperitoneal r oute and 1,700 mg/kg via the oral route. Petkov and Manolov26 gave single intrap eritoneal doses of oleuropein to mice ranging from 100 to 1000 mg/kg (in solutio ns of 1, 5 and 10%), but observed no toxic effects and no deaths during the 7-da ys post-treatment period, and so were unable to determine oleuropein s LD50 in thi s study. In repeated-dose ( subacute ) studies, Elliott et al45 found calcium elenolate to be well tolerated in rats given daily oral doses of 0, 30, 100 or 300 mg/kg f or 1 month. The only drug-related change observed was a yellowing of the nonglan dular fore-stomach in 40% of the rats receiving the highest dose (300 mg/kg). In 7-month-old beagle dogs given daily oral doses of 0, 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg calcium elenolate for 1 month, all but the highest dose were well tolerated three out of the four dogs receiving 30 mg/kg showed a mild gastric irritation with sporadic vomiting. Tissue analysis revealed a few small gastric erosions in these animal s. In their investigations of the cardiovascular effects of oleuropein in anim als, described earlier (see Cardiovascular effects, above), Petkov and Manolov26 observed that 3 50 mg/kg oleuropein given intraperitoneally caused a slight stimu lation of the respiratory rate in anaesthetised cats. Also, in doses of 10 30 mg/k g, it caused a brief depressed state with decreased motor activity in two out of four conscious dogs with induced hypertension, and was badly tolerated in a thi rd dog, causing excitation, scratching, and vigorous jolting movements, red, wat ery eyes, and hyperaemic (warm, reddened) abdominal skin. Lastly, Ruiz-Gutierrez et al,46 investigating the effects of oleuropein on lipids and fatty acids in heart tissue, did not report any adverse behavioural o r other effects (for example, on food consumption, body weight, heart weight or heart total lipid content) in rats given intraperitoneal injections of 25 or 50 mg/kg daily for 3 weeks. Oleuropein did significantly reduce the linoleic acid c ontent and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in heart polar lipi ds, depleted heart levels of vitamin E, and itself became incorporated in heart tissue, but the significance of these findings is unclear. However, heart tissue that had been pre-treated with oleuropein in vitro was not susceptible to perox idation. Olive leaf extract a new formulation The weight of evidence from the in vitro and in vivo studies strongly favou rs beneficial effects of olive tree extracts in the fight against infectious dis eases as well as cardiovascular disease, and, on the whole, calcium elenolate an d oleuropein at therapeutic doses appear to be safe and well tolerated in animal s. Why, then, has no drug company snapped up this promising avenue of research t o capitalise on the likely benefits in humans? In fact, a US drug company, The U pjohn Co of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was responsible for much of the work on the ant iviral properties of calcium elenolate in the 1960s and 1970s. However, they cam e across a problem that reduced to insignificant the practical usefulness of the

compound in humans. Calcium elenolate has a strong affinity for plasma proteins , and when administered to humans, the drug quickly bound to these molecules, ef fectively taking it out of action within minutes. The researchers at Upjohn Co w ere unable to overcome this problem, and so, in the mid-1970s, abandoned the dev elopment of calcium elenolate as an antiviral agent. Independent researchers, however, continued to investigate the potential of olive leaf extracts and finally made a breakthrough in 1994. By making certain structural changes to the active molecule (now a closely-guarded and patented se cret process), they found they could significantly reduce if not eliminate the b inding of calcium elenolate to serum protein. The result was Eden Extract , a pure olive leaf extract obtained by a hydro-ethanolic process, manufactured by East Park Research, Inc., of Henderson, Nevada, USA, who also owns the patent to the product. Clinical evidence of efficacy From the above review, the preclinical evidence for the anti-infective and cardiovascular effects of olive tree extracts is fairly extensive and convincing . By contrast, however, the clinical evidence is relatively scarce. This is not to say that what clinical evidence there is is not compelling. But, because deve lopment of the olive leaf extract as a possible pharmaceutical product was aband oned in the 1970s, and has continued via private research as a food supplement, extensive clinical studies have not been carried out. As a food supplement, the manufacturer cannot make any claims about the effects of the product (but relies on independent publicity gained through consumers and health practitioners use of the product), but conversely is not required to conduct lengthy and costly clin ical trials to prove its efficacy in any medical condition. The product may be s old legally for human dietary consumption based on its natural origins, conventi onal extraction process, proven safety in animals at the recommended doses for h umans, and its documented historical safe use in humans in Europe for more than a century. Clinical studies A limited number of open (uncontrolled) clinical studies have been or are b eing conducted with Eden Extract or an earlier version of the product, Viliv, alt hough results from these studies have not yet been published by the respective i nvestigators. In 1993, a preliminary study was carried out by investigators at t he NFN Company, Los Angeles, California, USA.47 Six subjects with herpes simplex II (and possibly I) infection, previously diagnosed by a physician, were treate d with 2 4 oz of Viliv (a wine-based tincture containing concentrated olive leaf e xtract) orally every 6 hours for 6 weeks. Three subjects reported complete remis sion of lesions and associated pain/discomfort after 36 48 hours, and a fourth rep orted relief of pain after a further 48 hours. The other two subjects reported r elief of pain/discomfort over the course of the study. There was a trend towards reduced blood levels of antibodies after 2 3 weeks of treatment, but the number o f samples was too few to give a definitive conclusion. A clinical study involving the use of Eden Extract is reported to be underwa y at The R Clinic, Budapest, Hungary,48 which employs innovative medical alternati ves to help provide improved healthcare for Hungarian citizens. The medical dire ctor, Dr. Robert Lyons, along with 40 physicians from the US, has already treate d 500 patients with Eden Extract . Patients initially took two capsules (each cont aining 500 mg of concentrated olive leaf extract) three times daily, in accordan ce with the manufacturer s recommendations, and the dose was reduced to one capsul e four times daily if their disease symptoms improved. According to US medical journalist Morton Walker,48 who has corresponded wi th Dr. Lyons in regard to this study, 157 out of 164 patients with respiratory d iseases or lung conditions (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bro nchitis) recovered fully and six improved (one patient was unaccounted for in th e article); 60 out of 67 patients with dental problems (pulpitis, leukoplakia, s tomatitis) fully recovered, five improved and two remained unchanged; 150 out of 209 patients with viral or bacterial skin infections fully recovered and 59 imp

roved; all 17 patients with gastric ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection impr oved, though none recovered fully; and 40 out of 43 patients with impaired immun ity showed improved immune status (details of how this was assessed were not giv en) while three remained unchanged. It is unclear how long patients were continu ed on treatment, but some appear to have responded within a matter of a few days or weeks. A further clinical study, investigating the efficacy of olive leaf extract in the treatment of malaria, is reported to be underway in Taiwan under the dire ction of Dr. Bernard Friedlander, a chiropractor from San Mateo, California, USA .49 Results from this study, however, are not yet available. Clinical anecdotes and individual cases Other than from the above-mentioned clinical studies, indications of clinic al efficacy of Eden Extract come from consumers letters sent directly to the manuf acturer (East Park Research, Inc., Henderson, Nevada, USA) or indirectly via hea lth practitioners (including physicians, chiropractors and nutritionists); and c ase reports or clinical anecdotes provided by a number of US health practitioner s who have prescribed Eden Extract to their patients and observed beneficial effe cts. General practitioner Dr. James Privitera, M.D., of Covina, California, appe ars to have had the most extensive clinical experience with use of the olive lea f extract, which has been available in the US since 1995. He has reportedly obse rved the following benefits: relief of arthritic inflammations; reduction of ins ulin dosages in diabetics; elimination of the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndro me; increased energy/stamina; improved blood flow in cardiovascular disorders; l essening of haemorrhoid pain; attenuation of toothaches; elimination of fungal i nfections such as onychomycosis and tinea pedis; prevention or cure of numerous viral infections; relief of many of the symptoms of Candida albicans and other y east infections; and elimination of a variety of parasites including protozoa an d helminth worms.48 Other case reports or anecdotes mention the following benefits with Eden Ex tract : probable prevention and successful treatment of herpes genitalis (herpes s implex II);48,49 improved symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, prostate cancer and some other cancers, and skin conditions; improvement in chronic fatigue syndrome ; improvement of sore throats, coughs, colds, and chronic sinusitis;49 improveme nt of tinea (pityriasis) versicolor, psoriasis, persistent respiratory infection , and chronic scalp infection;50 relief from the pain of shingles (herpes zoster infection); elimination of the yeast syndrome / Candida albicans infection; and re storation of immune function in a severely immune-depressed patient with multipl e long-term allergies and opportunistic infections.48 Side-effects in humans The only side-effect that appears to have been reported with clinical use i s a so-called die-off effect, which has been likened to the Herxheimer reaction so metimes encountered during the treatment of yeast infections.51,52 This reaction is believed to occur when a large quantity of infectious organisms in the body are killed off in a relatively short period of time. Large amounts of toxic subs tances are released into the body tissues and blood stream from the dying organi sms together with cellular debris, and the person s immune system rapidly reacts t o these substances to remove them from the body as quickly as possible. As a res ult, the person may temporarily experience a number of allergic- or flu-like sym ptoms such as headache, fever, fatigue, muscle/joint aches, and diarrhoea.53 The symptoms of this die-off , or detoxification, reaction last for between 4 and 7 da ys. Some patients may experience only a mild headache, and many experience no su ch effects at all. The effects of the die-off reaction are not thought to be harmf ul, but the manufacturer advises that if symptoms do occur, the patient should t emporarily stop taking the capsules or cut back on the daily amount he/she is ta king, so that the body has a chance to eliminate the toxic waste products accumu lating in the system.

Summary and conclusions Extracts from the European olive tree have a long history of association wi th fever-lowering and antimicrobial properties, and these are now convincingly s upported by laboratory studies of antibacterial and antiviral actions conducted over the last 30 years or more. The association of olive oil and other oils cont aining high levels of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and low levels of sa turated fats with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease is also well-establis hed. Evidence from laboratory studies of further possible cardiovascular benefit s, such as blood pressure-lowering, anti-arrhythmic, coronary blood flow-reducin g and antioxidant actions, adds a further exciting dimension to the possible hea lth-promoting benefits of these extracts, and deserves deeper exploration. Most of the laboratory evidence has involved the major phenolic compound of olive tree extracts, oleuropein, and its hydrolysis product elenolic acid, and these agents have been shown to be safe and well-tolerated by the oral, as well as intraperitoneal, route in a variety of animals at the levels present in doses of olive leaf extract recommended for human dietary supplementation. Eden Extra ct incorporates structural changes to the elenolic acid molecule that overcome th e bioavailability problems in humans encountered with earlier such preparations (due to rapid binding to serum proteins). This product has been available to the US public as a food supplement since 1995 and has recently become available in the UK. Formal clinical studies of possible health benefits of extracts from the ol ive tree in humans are scarce; however, case reports and clinical anecdotes rece ived by the manufacturer from consumers and health practitioners in the US indic ate that the product may well have effective antibacterial and antiviral propert ies in humans, as well as hitherto unrecognised benefits to the cardiovascular a nd immune systems. Other health-promoting properties, such as antifungal, anti-i nflammatory and anticancer actions, are also suggested by these unofficial repor ts. However, such reports cannot be presented as proof of clinical efficacy, sin ce the placebo effect is likely to be a significant factor in any non-controlled study and in individual cases. Published findings from the clinical studies reported to be underway should provide important supporting evidence for olive leaf extract s clinical potential . Organised, well-designed studies targeting particular human ailments would pro vide further convincing proof of the range and depth of health-promoting effects of this potentially far-reaching product. From its historical origins, which ha ve been said to date back as far as biblical times and to ancient Egypt, the oli ve tree has come a long way in gaining recognition for its remarkable properties . It would be a great shame if such a possible source of power against human ail ments remained unrecognised and untapped because of a lack of investment in clin ically definitive studies in the final stages of its development.