Oleocanthal is a phenylethanoid, a natural phenolic compound found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
The importance and uniqueness of oleocanthal lies in its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Its anti-inflammatory effect on the body is very similar to that of ibuprofen, one of the most commonly consumed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen differ from steroidal drugs in that they have significantly fewer side effects and their analgesic effect is not a narcotic.
This discovery is also very interesting, as NSAIDs have proven to be very positive in diseases with chronic inflammatory processes, such as degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s). A lower influence on the risk of cancer has also been observed with some NSAIDs.
In recent years, a number of studies have been carried out to examine the potential benefits of oleocanthal.
The discovery of oleocanthal:
Olive oil is ancient, but oleocanthal is relatively recent. Dr. Gary Beauchamp is credited with the discovery of oleocanthal. The American scientist and biologist works for the Monell Chemical Sense Center in Philadelphia, an organoleptic laboratory dedicated to testing various substances and quantifying their sensory properties, among other things.
Dr. Gary was attending a molecular nutrition conference in Sicily and was invited to taste extra virgin olive oil at a local mill. When he tasted the extra virgin olive oil (presumably he had not tasted a good extra virgin olive oil before), the sharpness in his throat was familiar.
At the time, Dr. Gary was working on an essay about the taste of different liquid ibuprofen solutions, and the pungency of the olive oils reminded him of ibuprofen. He ordered some samples from the mill, and the rest is history.
The etymology that Dr. Beauchamp gave to the molecule he discovered is derived from this story:
Oleo-Canth-Al
“Oleo” from the Latin for oil
“Acanth” from the Greek for thorn (the spiciness)
“Al” comes from the chemical compound aldehyde.
Specific reports on oleocanthal:
Numerous essays and technical papers on oleocanthal are currently being studied.
The most spectacular study to date was conducted by Paul Breslin, Gary’s colleague at the Monell Center, together with biologists and oncologists David Foster and Onica Legendre from Hunter College. They showed that oleocanthal kills cancer cells within 30 minutes without harming healthy cells. This study was conducted in vitro. Oleocanthal destroys the lysosomes of the harmful cells. Their discovery was published in “Molecular and Cellular Oncology”.
Amal Kaddoumi and his team describe test results on mice in a report published in the renowned journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience. Mice given oleocanthal showed reduced formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which are responsible for Alzheimer’s disease.
The information and current investigations are not yet conclusive, but are promising.
Consumption recommendations:
In order for oleocanthal, like the other polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, to develop its protective effect on our health, daily and regular consumption is recommended.
For example, four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with a high oleocanthal content are equivalent to taking 125 mg of ibuprofen every day. According to researchers from the Andalusian Oleocanthal Society, this would be a good basis for preventing or alleviating chronic inflammatory processes.
