Olive Leaf Extract: A Wonder Drug?

Olive oil was once used in a variety of medical problems by the Greek and Roman physicians of the ancient times. Olive leaf tea was common in many ancient cultures and it was said to have been effective in treating common cold, gout, cystitis, etc.

Poultices were used to treat skin rashes, boils and various skin infections. Later, in around the early 20th century the extract was derived and it proved to be very effective in many diseases. This bitter extract was identified as Oleuropin, a photochemical.

Some experts believe that the benefits identified are just scratches on the surface. More benefits will be identified in the near future. Till now olive leaf extract is being used as an alternative medicine and it is being used to treat diseases and ailments like chronic fatigue; high blood pressure and heart diseases; and also herpes and yeast infections.

The extract can also help in the treatment of many fungal, bacterial and viral infections. It is very effective in removing parasites and the infection caused by them.

Olive leaf extract has been found to be particularly effective against virus as one of its constituent compounds, elenolic acid, can interfere with the vital amino acids production of virus and inactivate them. This helps to stop the spread of the virus.

It also has the capability of getting into the infected cells and stopping the virus from replication. Scientists even believe that in the olive leaf extracts they have found out a true anti-viral compound that can actually fight the entire system of viral infection. This is the reason why the extract is so effective in common cold and flu.

Olive leaf extract has shown remarkable results as an antibacterial agent. So it is being widely used as such in alternative medicine.  It has also shown potential in treatment of various fungal infections.

Those suffering from chronic fungal infections, when treated with the extract, have shown regression of the infections and cleaning. It has the potential of curing ailments like fibromyalgia and Epstein – Barr virus.

It was used in treatment of malaria and dengue till quinine came. Now it is again making a comeback as one of drugs for these diseases. Scientists are carrying out research on the effectiveness of olive leaf extract on various ailments like meningitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, encephalitis, hepatitis B and even AIDS.