PDR for Herbal Medicines

556/OLEANDER PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Teuscher E, Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,

Pharmakologie, 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.

Teuscher E, Biogene Arzneimittel, 5. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.

Stuttgart 1997.

Wagner H, Wiesenauer M, Phytotherapie. Phytopharmaka und

pflanzliche Homoopathika, Fischer-Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New

York 1995.

Olive

Olea europaea

TRADE NAMES

Olive oil and Olive leaves are available from numerous

manufacturers. The leaves are sometimes marketed as Olive

Leaf-Powder.

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the dried leaves,

the oil extracted from the ripe drupes, and the fresh branches

containing leaves and clusters of flowers.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in small axillary clustered

inflorescence. The calyx has 4 tips. The white corolla has a

short tube and 4 lobes. The superior ovary is bilocular, with

each side having 2 hanging anatropal ovules. The drupe has

1 to 2 seeds, is fleshy, plum-like or round. The smooth drupe

is initially green, then red and finally blue-black when ripe.

The very hard stone contains oblong compact seeds with

many endosperm.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Olive grows as a medium high shrub
or a tree up to 10 m high. The plant has pale bark and cane-
like, quadrangular to round, initially downy, thorny or
thomless^branches. The leaves are opposite, entire, stiff,
coriaceous, nairoVF-elliptical to lanceolate or eordate with
thorny tips. The upper surface is dark green, glabrous or
covered with scattered scutiform hairs; the underside shim-
mers silver with scuitform hairs.
Habitat: The plant grows in almost all of the southern
European countries and throughout the entire Mediterranean
region as far as Iran and beyond the Caucasus. Olive trees
are cultivated in many regions of the world.
Production: Olive leaves consist of the fresh or dried leaves
of Olea europaea. The leaves are harvested from cultivated
trees and dried in the shade. Olive oil is the fatty oil
extracted from the drupes of Olea europaea, using the cold-
press method.

Not to be Confused With: Confusion can arise between Olive
leaves and the leaves of Nerium oleander. The oils of
Camellia sasanqua and other Camellia species can be
mistaken for Olive oil.

Other Names: Olivier

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: OLIVE LEAVES

Iridoide monoterpenes: including among others, oleoropine

(6-9%), additionally 6-O-oleoropinesaccharose, ligstroside,

oleoroside, oleoside-7,11-dimeth-ylether

Triterpenes: including oleanolic acid, maslinic acid

Flavonoids: luteolin-7-O-glucoside, apigenine-7-O-glu-

coside

Chalcones: olivin, olivin-4'-0-diglucoside

EFFECTS: OLIVE LEAVES

Animal tests demonstrated hypotensive, antiarrhythmic and

spasmolytic effects on the smooth muscle of the intestine,

caused by the terpenes and phenols of die drug.

COMPOUNDS: OLIVE OIL

Chief fatty acids: oleic acid (56-83%), palmitic acid (8-

20%), linoleic acid (4-20%)

Steroids (0.125 to 0.25%): beta-sitosterol, delta7-stigmaster-

ol, delta5-avenasterol, campesterol, stigmasterol

Tocopherols (0.02%)

EFFECTS: OLIVE OIL

Through die presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, the drug

has an antisclerotic effect by positively influencing die

serum lipids. A reduction of plasma glucose was also

observed. Contraction of the gallbladder was observed with

the increase of cholecystokinin in die plasma.

(Use for gallstones is not advised because, efficacy has not

been proven and use may cause colic.)

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

OLIVE LEAVES

Unproven Uses: Folk medicine uses include hypertonia,

arteriosclerosis, rheumatism and gout, diabetes mellitus and

fever.

OLIVE OIL

Unproven Uses: Internal uses of die oil in folk medicine

include cholangitis, inflammation of the gallbladder, flatu-

lence, constipation, icterus, Roemhel syndrome, gastrointes-

tinal ulcers and kidney stones. Externally, it has been used

for psoriasis, eczema, sunburn, mild burns and rheumatism.

Its use as a lubricant for constipation and dry skin conditions

appears plausible because of trie oily characteristics.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

The internal administration of die drug can trigger colic

among gallstone sufferers, so its use is contraindicated.