Oleocantal anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties: an Italian extra virgin olive oil case study.

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well known for a long period. Several studies, realized over a period of 30 years, demonstrated that these dietary habits help to reduce the rates of some pathological conditions, such as cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases and some types of cancer. These properties were initially attributed to the phenolic profile of virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are bioactive molecules that contribute to define the organoleptic properties of olive oils and also its benefits on human health, due to their free radical scavenging activity. The amount of these compounds depends on several factors, like as cultivar, degree of maturation of olives, pedoclimatic conditions. The phenylethanoid oleocanthal, [(-)-decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycone], is responsible for the throat irritation and pungency elicited by olive oils and possess a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity, like ibuprofen. The aim of this work was to characterize extra virgin olive oils, produced by using some cultivars form Italian territories and different cultivation and production techniques, through the evaluation of both phenols and oleocanthal contents. The amounts of oleocanthal in the tested oils from several Italian regions , determined by RP-HPLC, showed a variability both among the production areas and the olive cultivar indicating that different parameters, in particular olive variety (Lavagnina cv., Gentile di Larino cv., Leccino cv.) and pedoclimatic conditions, can influence its contents. In particular, in oild realized with the same cultivar, the quantity of oleocanthal was greater in those with higher phenolic compounds concentration. Also the altitude at which the cultivation of olive trees was carried out might affect the oleocanthal production. The enviromental temperature and humidity, at least partially, might be correlated to the oleocanthal amount. The data obtained in this case study may provide information for the development of a new process for the production of a virgin oliv oil with increased health characteristics.