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A recent study pubÂlished in PLOS ONE invesÂtiÂgated the effects of extra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols on the growth of osteoblasts in a labÂoÂraÂtory setÂting, findÂing that cerÂtain pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds increased cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion. While more research is needed to underÂstand the exact mechÂaÂnisms, the findÂings sugÂgest that pheÂnols in extra virÂgin olive oil may play a role in preÂventÂing osteoÂporoÂsis in humans.
Although sevÂeral studÂies show that conÂsumpÂtion of olives and olive oil is effecÂtive in preÂventÂing bone mass loss in aniÂmal and cell modÂels, there is litÂtle research on the role of pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds inexÂtra virÂgin olive oil on the preÂvenÂtion of osteoÂporoÂsis in humans.
Investigators of a recent research paper, pubÂlished in the March 2016 issue of the jourÂnal PLOS ONE, invesÂtiÂgated the effects of extra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols on growth of osteoblasts or bone-formÂing cells in the labÂoÂraÂtory using the human MG-63 osteosarÂcoma cell line. This cell line is used most widely to research drug treatÂments for bone health.
See Also:Olive Oil Health Benefits
Since pheÂnol conÂtent of extra virÂgin olive oil varies with variÂety and matuÂrity of fruit at harÂvest, the researchers studÂied the effects ofexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols extracted from four difÂferÂent olive culÂtiÂvars at difÂferÂent stages of fruit ripenÂing on osteoblasÂtic cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion of the cell line.
Olives from four culÂtiÂvars – Picual, Arbequina, Picudo and Hojiblanca, grown on the experÂiÂmenÂtal farm of the Agricultural Training Center in Cabra, Southern Spain, were harÂvested at three difÂferÂent stages of ripeness — at the beginÂning, midÂdle and end of harÂvest seaÂson. For the study, the researchers isoÂlated twelve pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds from the extra virÂgin olive oil extracted from the harÂvested olives to deterÂmine if they influÂenced osteoblast cell growth.
The authors found that while the conÂtent of all pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds in extra virÂgin olive oils decreased as the stage of fruit ripenÂing increased, the conÂtent of tyrosol and hydrotyÂrosol was espeÂcially high in olives colÂlected at the beginÂning of the harÂvest seaÂson.
Results of the study showed that treatÂment of osteoblast cells with extra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols increased the numÂber of cells by 11 to 16 perÂcent as comÂpared to untreated cells. However, not all the pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds tested were effecÂtive in increasÂing the numÂber of osteoblast cells. Of the twelveÂexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds studÂied, hydroxÂyÂtyÂrosol disÂplayed the strongest antioxÂiÂdant effect. At a conÂcenÂtraÂtion of 10 – 6 Molar, it increased the numÂber of osteoblast cells by about 11 perÂcent in 24 hours comÂpared to conÂtrol culÂtures.
Similarly, pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds cafÂfeic, ferÂulic p‑coumaric, luteÂolin and apiÂgenin were found to increase osteoblast cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion, while pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds oleuÂropein, pinoresinol, sinapic, vanilÂlic acid and derivÂaÂtive (vanillin) did not affect the growth of the osteoblast cells.
The researchers also found that comÂbinedexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols disÂplayed higher osteoblast cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion rates than growth observed with indiÂvidÂuÂally extracted pheÂnols.
Although pheÂnols from all variÂeties increased cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion, some variÂetal difÂferÂences were observed. Phenols from the Picual variÂety were most effecÂtive in stimÂuÂlatÂing cell growth and increased cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion by 18 to 22 perÂcent, whileÂexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols from the Arbequina variÂety had the lowÂest effect and increased osteoblasÂtic cell proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion by 9 to 13 perÂcent.
The proÂposed theÂory behind the proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion of osteoblasts by EVOO pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds may be due to their abilÂity to increase alkaÂline phosÂphatase activÂity and deposit calÂcium ions in the extraÂcelÂluÂlar matrix. Furthermore, other in vivo and in-vitro studÂies show that natÂural pheÂnoÂlic acids may posÂiÂtively affect the skeleÂtal sysÂtem by preÂventÂing bone resorpÂtion and stimÂuÂlatÂing bone forÂmaÂtion.
While more research is needed to underÂstand the role ofexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols in sigÂnalÂing pathÂways and their mode of action in osteoblast cell growth, the authors sugÂgest adding proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion of MG-63 osteoblast cells and posÂsiÂble osteoÂporoÂsis preÂvenÂtion to the list of other known benÂeÂfits ofexÂtra virÂgin olive oil pheÂnols such as their anti-inflamÂmaÂtory, antioxÂiÂdant, anti-mutaÂgenic and anti-carÂcinoÂgenic activÂiÂties.