Health
A new study has proven that an ingredient in extra virgin olive oil can kill cancer cells.
The results of the study, which will be published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Oncology, were made public on January 23, 2015.
The researchers, nutritional scientist Paul Breslin (Rutgers University), biologist David Foster (Hunter College) and chemist Onica LeGendre (Hunter College) discovered in a lab study that the ingredient, called oleocanthal, causes a rupture of a part of the cancerous cell which releases enzymes and causes cell death, without harming healthy cells. In this way, cancer cells are killed by their own enzymes.
“Oleocanthal is a name for a chemical in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that means ‘Stinging Oil Aldehyde’,” Paul Breslin told Olive Oil Times. “It is made by the olive when it is crushed to make the pulp from which the oil is pressed.”
“There are many compounds in EVOO that have a 6‑carbon ring structure on them and collectively they are known as phenolics,” Breslin added. “These compounds are collectively good anti-oxidants preventing oxygen pore-radicals from forming and they also tend to be anti-inflammatory. Oleocanthal has been shown to interfere with processes associated with many types of inflammation, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer formation and growth.”
The researchers discovered that oleocanthal caused cancer cells to break down and die very quickly; within 30 minutes, instead of the 16 to 24 hours it takes for programmed cell death, known as apoptosis.
Though the scientists already suspected that oleocanthal can kill cancer cells, this is the first time a study examined how this occurs.
“There are many studies that show that oleocanthal can interfere with cancer processes and growth pathways. It has also been shown in live animals that oleocanthal can shrink tumors in mice,” explained Breslin. “What is not known is whether these are all separate effects of oleocanthal on cancer or whether there is perhaps an upstream event that triggers them. We have what may be an upstream event that is a novel phenomenon to be described in that we are opening up the lysosome with oleocanthal inside the cell and releasing toxic enzymes that kill the cell. This phenomenon is called Lysosomal Membrane Permeabilization or LMP.”
“We wish to look at whether this is why tumors are shrinking in mice in the presence of oleocanthal. In our study, David Foster and Onica LeGendre focused on breast, pancreatic, and prostate tumor cells and showed they could be killed by LMP but we did not kill three kinds of healthy non-cancerous cells,” Breslin said.
Researchers would like to take the study outside the lab and investigate the effectiveness of oleocanthal to kill cancer cells and tumors in living animals.
This study confirms the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities of extra virgin olive oil and the benefits of diets rich in olive oil like the Mediterranean diet to good health.
More articles on: Alzheimer's, cancer prevention, health
Sep. 13, 2023
Researchers Use AI to Identify the Olive Oil Compounds that Affect Alzheimer’s
Using a machine learning algorithm, researchers identified ten compounds in extra virgin olive oil that act like pharmaceutical treatments for dementia.
Nov. 6, 2023
Polyphenol in EVOO May Shield Kidneys from Diabetes-Related Damage, Study Finds
Researchers investigated the use of dihydroxyphenylglycol, a polyphenol present in extra virgin olive oil, to treat kidney disease caused by type 1 diabetes.
Oct. 26, 2023
Research Shows the Role of Polyphenols in Inhibiting Cancer Metastasis
Spanish scientists investigated the role of oleocanthal and oleacein in modulating angiogenesis, which is directly related to the progression of different types of tumors.
Sep. 28, 2023
Hydroxytyrosol May Help Prevent Colon Cancer Spread, Research Suggests
During in vitro experiments, hydroxytyrosol, a prominent olive oil polyphenol, was found to target a protein involved in cancer cell reproduction.
Jun. 20, 2023
In Ice Cream, Olive Oil Adds Health Benefits Without Compromising Flavor
Extra virgin olive oil offers the possibility for innovative, healthier ice creams.
Jul. 13, 2023
Consuming Oleuropein May Mitigate the Effects of Aging on Muscular Atrophy
New research purports to demonstrate that aged mice which ate a diet supplemented with olive leaf extract rich in oleuropein increased muscle mass.
Jul. 7, 2023
How to Reuse Olive Oil for Sautéing and Frying
Deep frying with olive oil is healthier than frying with other oils, and it can be reused several times, with some caution, to reduce waste and enhance flavors.
May. 23, 2023
Researchers Investigate Role of Bioactive Compounds in Neurodegenerative Diseases
The researchers focused on studies investigating the flavonoids, polyphenols and other phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet.