Olive Leaf Extract Wards off Hypertension

WADENSWIL, Switzerland—A recent open study found the olive leaf extract EFLA®943 (from Frutarom) has antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering action (Phytother. Res. 2008;22:1239–1242) (DOI:10.1002/ptr.2455). Forty borderline, hypertensive, monpzygotic twins were assigned in pairs to groups receiving either 500 mg/d or 1000 mg/d of EFLA®943 for eight weeks, or advice on a favorable lifestyle. Blood pressure changed significantly within pairs, depending on the dose, with mean systolic differences of ≤ 6 mm Hg (500 mg vs. control) and ≤ 13 mm Hg (1000 vs. 500 mg), and diastolic differences of ≤ 5 mm Hg. After eight weeks, mean blood pressure remained unchanged from baseline in controls and the low-dose group, but had significantly decreased for the high-dose group. Cholesterol levels decreased for all treatments with significant dose-dependent, within-pair differences for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. None of the other parameters showed significant changes or consistent trends.