Olive Leaf Extract -- A New/Old Healing Bonanza

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Olive Leaf Extract -- A New/Old Healing Bonanza

 

> --

> Olive Leaf Extract --

> A New/Old Healing Bonanza For Mankind is intended exclusively for

> informational and educational purposes only and not for medical

> advice. Consult a medical or health professional

> for any questions regarding your health.

> ---

> Olive Leaf Extract

> A New/Old Healing Bonanza for Mankind

> by James R. Privitera, M.D.

>

> http://www.alphazee.com/olive-leaf/olea.html

> ---

>

> INTRODUCTION

> ---

>

> Science has long stalked the chemical world within plants to uncover

> their amazing healing secrets. Lately, these investigations have

> yielded discovery after discovery of natural compounds with

> promising health and medical potential.

>

> Some of these compounds stimulate the production of anti-cancer

> enzymes in the body. Others bind and neutralize certain carcinogenic

> chemicals. Other have antioxidant effects,protecting the body from

> oxidation damage caused by harmful molecular fragments known as free

> radicals that contribute to aging and illness.

>

> These natural compunds are found abundantly in roots, stems, leaves,

> fruits and vegetables. They go by a variety of scientific names like

> polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, pycnogenols, glucosinolates,

> isoprenoids, carotenoids, tocotrienols and proanthocyanadins. To

> keep things simple and pronounceable, we will just call them

> phytochemicals or phytonutrients. Phyto stems from the Greek word

> for plant.

>

> The volume of current research is intense. Some experts say these

> compounds may offer the best protection we know of against the

> diseases that plague us today. There's much yet to learn about the

> tissue-specific way they work. But with time, these phytonutrients,

> in the form of supplements or medical preparations, may play a major

> role in anti-aging medicine and how we prevent and treat disease.

>

> Among the many phytochemicals that have interested me, as a

> clinician, is oleuropein (pronounced oh-lee-or-oh-pin), a substance

> found in the olive leaf. I, as well as other health practitioners,

> have found that a natural supplement of olive leaf extract contains

> substantial medicinal benefits. Among them, boosting the energy

> among patients and aiding in the treatment of herpes and other viral

> conditions, flu and colds, fungal infections, chronic fatigue and

> allergies. I have also been surprised by unexpected results

> generated by this supplement.

>

> ---

> The Olive Leaf in History and Medicine

>

> ---

>

> It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is something very

> special about the olive leaf. For one thing, it is the first

> botanical mentioned in the Bible.

> " And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth

> was an olive leafplucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were

> abated from off the earth. " (Genesis 8 : 11)

>

> After the Great Flood we didn't hear too much about the olive leaf

> for a long time. Obviously this was a hard act to follow.

>

> In a much later biblical time (Ezekiel 47 : 12), God speaks of a

> tree: " The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for

> medicine. "

>

> Was it the olive tree?

>

> In Revelations, at the very end of the New Testament, there is an

> angelic vision of a " tree of life " whose leaves " were for the

> healing of the nations. " Today, as modern medicine increasingly

> embraces phytochemicals it is interesting to speculate about the

> biblical " tree of life. "

>

> Again, was it perhaps the olive tree?

>

> The ancient Egyptians may be been the first to put the olive leaf to

> practical use. They regarded it as a symbol of heavenly power, and

> in keeping with that belief, they extracted its oil and used it to

> mummify their kings.

>

> Later cultures found the leaf was better utilized for the living

> than the dead. Over the ages, there is documentation that it was a

> popular folk remedy for combating fevers.

>

> The first formal medical mention of the olive leaf - an account

> describing its ability to cure severe cases of fever and malaria --

> ocurred about 150 years ago. In 1854, the Pharmaceutical Journal

> carried a report by one Daniel Hanbury and contained the following

> simple healing recipe:

>

> Boil a handful of leaves in a quart of water down to half its

> original volume. Then administer the liquid in the amount of a

> wineglass every 3 or 4 hours until the fever is cured.

>

> The author said he discovered the effective tincture in 1843 and had

> used it successfully. This method became well known in England for

> treating sick Britons returning from His or Her Majesty's tropical

> colonies. The author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves

> wasthe key healing ingredient.

>

> He was right.

>

> Decades later, scientists isolated a bitter substance from the leaf

> and named it oleuropein. It was found to be one ingredient in a

> compound produced by the olive tree that makes it particularly

> robust and resistant against insect and bacterial damage. From a

> technical angle, oleuropein is an iridoid, a structural class of

> chemical compounds found in plants. It is present in olive oil,

> throughout the olive tree, and is, in fact, the bitter material that

> is eliminated from the olives when they are cured.<

>

> In 1962, an Italian researcher reported that oleuropein lowered

> blood pressure in animals. This triggered a flurry of scientific

> interest in the olive leaf.

>

> Other European researchers confirmed this interesting finding. In

> addition, they found it could also increase blood flow in the

> coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmias, and prevent intestinal

> muscle spasms.

>

> Around this time, a Dutch researcher determined the active

> ingredient in oleuropein to be a substance he called elenolic acid.

> It was found to have a powerful anti-bacterial effect.

>

> By the late 1960's, research by scientists at Upjohn, a major

> American pharmaceutical company, showed that elenolic acid also

> inhibited the growth of viruses. In fact, it stopped every virus

> that it was tested against. Among others, the substance was found to

> counteract a variety of viruses associated with the common cold of

> humans.

>

> Moreover, a number of laboratory experiments at this time with

> calcium elenolate, a salt of elenolic acid, demonstrated a strong

> effect against not just viruses, but bacteria and parasitic

> protozoans as well.

>

> The compound worked effectively at low concentrations without any

> harmful influence on host cell mechanisms, the American researchers

> concluded. That meant they believed it to be extremely safe and non-

> toxic, even at high doses.

>

> Following test tube experiments, the pharmaceutical company launched

> animal tests. Experiments showed the compound was indeed extremely

> well tolerated. There was a hitch, however. In the body of an

> animal, the substance rapidly attached to protein in blood serum.

> For all intents and purposes, this meant calcium elenolate was of no

> use. The binding action essentially took it " out of action, "

> rendering it ineffective. As a result of this obstacle, research

> into the compound as a potential virus and bacteria killing

> pharmaceutical drug was dropped.

>

> Nevertheless, research and interest in olive leaf extracts has moved

> forward, primarily in Europe. Among the most recent findings are

> these:

>

>

> In a series of experiments, oleuropein was found to inactivate

> bacteria by apparently dissolving the outer lining of microbes.

>

> At the University of Milan Pharacological Sciences, researchers

> found that oleuropein inhibited oxidation of low-density

> lipoproteins, the so-called " bad cholesterol " involved in heart and

> aterial disease. This revelation, if confirmed by further research,

> suggests that oleuropein may contain antioxidant properties similar

> to other phytochemical compounds. Medical researcher Morton Walker,

> D.P.M., writing about olive leaf extract in the July 1996 issue of

> the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, comments that the

> intake of flavonoids " is correlated with a lower incidence of

> cardiovascular disease indicated that the daily intake of olive oil

> and/or olive leaf extract containing phenols will likely bring on a

> similar result. " At the present time, the cardiovascular research

> community is excited about such actions. Studies have shown that

> some phytochemicals can reduce the harmful oxidation of cholesterol

> as well as slow down the accelerated clumping of blood platelets

> that can lead to dangerous clots.

>

> At Spain's University of Granada, pharmacologists determined that

> olive leaf extract causes relaxation of arterial walls in laboratory

> animals. Such results suggest a possible benefit for hypertension,

> an effect first mentioned by researchers more than 30 years ago.

>

> In Tunis, researchers found that aqueous extract of olive leaves

> reduced hypertension, blood sugar, and the level of uric acid in

> rodents. This finding again indicates potential in the treatment of

> hypertension, as well as diabetes and heart disease. An elevated

> uric acid level is a risk factor for heart disease.

> Remember the biochemical snag mentioned earlier -- that elenolic

> acid binds with proteins in the body to nullify any therapeutic use?

> The problem has been overcome and the door opened for the

> development of effective olive leaf extract supplements.

>

> Such products are now available, containing oleuropein and

> synergistic olive leaf extracts, including flavonoids.

>

> The medicinal firepower is there.

>

> The safety is there.

>

> The added benefit of other phytochemicals is there. In short, we now

> have an exciting new herbal with a promising future.

>

>

>

> ---

>

>

> Olive Leaf Firepower

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> For the record, the researchers at Upjohn found calcium elenolate

> effective in test tube experiments against the following viruses:

> herpes, vaccinia, pseudorabies, Newcastle, Coxsacloe A 21,

> encepthlomyocarditis, polio 1, 2, and 3, vesicular stomititus,

> sindbis, reovirus, Moloney Murine leukemia, Rauscher Murine

> leukemia, Moloney sarcoma, and many influenza and parainfluenza

> types.

> They found it effective against these bacteria and parasitic

> protozoans: lactobacillus plantarum W50, brevis 50, pediococcus

> cerevisiae 39, leuconostoc mesenteroides 42, staphylococcus aureus,

> bacillus subtilis, enterobacteraerogenes NRRL B-199, E. cloacae NRRL

> B-414, E. coli, salamonella tyhimurium, pseudomonas fluorescens, P.

> solanacearum, P. lachrymans, erwinia carotovora, E. tracheiphila,

> xanthomonas vesicatoria, corynesbacterium Michiganese, plasmodium

> falciparum, virax and malariae.

>

> The researchers credit a number of unique properties possessed by

> the olive leaf compound for the broad killing power:

>

> An ability to interfere with critical amino acid production

> essential for viruses.

>

> An ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating

> viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the

> cell membrane.

>

> The ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral

> replication.

>

> In the case of retroviruses, it is able to neutralize the production

> of reverse transcriptase and protease. These enzymes are essential

> for a retrovirus, such as HIV, to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.

>

> It can stimulate phagocytosis, an immune system response in which

> cells ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.

>

> The research suggests that this may be a " true anti-viral " compound

> because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific

> system in the infected host. It thus appears to offer healing

> effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics.

>

>

> ---

>

>

> Clinical Perspective

>

> ---

>

> Clinically, the olive leaf extract has been used for a relatively

> short time. Health professionals began using it early in 1995 when

> it first became available. Although we do not have long-term

> perspectives as yet, initial results are very positive. We see a

> very promising and unique herbal with multiple applications. It

> shows considerable therapeutic action against many common

> conditions. In short, it appears to be living up to its unique

> background and expectations.

> >From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that

> supplemental olive leaf extract may be beneficial in the treatment

> for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus,

> bacterium, or protozoan. Among such conditions are influenza, the

> common cold, meningitis, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), encephalitis,

> herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles, HIV/ARC/AIDS,

> chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea,

> malaria, dengue, bacteremia, severe diarrhea, blood poisoning, and

> dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.

>

> In our clinic, we use olive leaf extract for a variety of infectious

> and chronic conditions. We also believe that many people who lead

> stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and

> viruses may benefit from long-term use of olive leaf extract as a

> preventive agent.

>

> As I mentioned earlier, I am constantly surprised by unexpected

> benefits reported by patients. This indicates that we are perhaps

> just scratching the surface in our understanding of phytochemical

> benefits. Patients have told me about improved psoriasis,

> normalization of arrhythmias (heart beat irregularities), and less

> pain from hemorroids, toothaches and chronically achy joints.

>

> I myself cured a chronic toenail fungal infection after starting on

> the supplement. It had not responded to the many other nutrients

> that I take.

>

> One woman with bad allergies reported significant improvement and a

> level of energy she hadn't felt for years.

>

> One elderly male with severe arrhythmia told me his condition had

> vastly improved in about eight days just from taking olive leaf

> extract alone. A woman with mild arrhythmia said her condition

> improved substantially while she took the supplement and then slowly

> became irregular again after she ran out.

>

> We know from the oleuropein research done in the 1960s that the

> substance improves blood flood to the heart and acts to normalize

> arrhythmias. Currently, we are learning much about the

> cardiovascular benefits of the phytochemical compounds found in

> grape seeds, onions, kale, green beans, broccoli, and other

> vegetables. It will be interesting to see what benefits the

> particular phytochemicals in olive leaf extract produce for heart

> and arterial health.

>

> Phil Selinsky, a naturopathic doctor at the Institute for Holistic

> Studies in Santa Barbara, and biochemist Arnold Takemoto, who has

> been developing patient nutritional programs on behalf of physicians

> in Arizona for 15 years, have found olive leaf extract to be an

> effective addition to their array of natural healing tools.

>

> After using the supplement in dozens of cases for over a year,

> Selinsky is impressed with the benefits and looks forward to

> continued use and greater understanding about its most effective

> applications.

>

> There is no doubt that olive leaf extract has real healing power. In

> a moment I will go into much greater detail on how it has helped

> patients.

>

> It is important to keep in mind, however, that like any nutritional

> supplement it should not be considered a cure-all or panacea. In

> holistic practices such as mine, individual supplements are part of

> a comprehensive program that includes better diet, exercise, and

> stress control methods. That's how we maximize health and minimize

> symptoms.

>

> In such a program, a patient may start with supplement X, Y and Z,

> get involved in an exercise program, and experience perhaps 50

> percent relief for a given condition. That's a lot of relief but

> then we keep trying to improve the situation. We now add another

> supplement, let's say the olive leaf extract, and we get another

> degree of improvement, often quite large. In this manner, we

> continually tailor the program of an individual patient for the best

> results. And in this scheme of things, olive leaf extract is making

> a very positive contribution. It complements all the good things

> patients are doing.

>

> There is always the possiblity that one ingredient, one supplement,

> can fill a large gap or particular need in the body and by itself

> lead to major improvement. We see that happen all the time. But

> usually it is all the elements in a nutritional program that work

> together -- like a team of horses pulling a wagon -- that gets the

> job done most effectively.

>

> Biochemist Arnold Takemoto puts it this way: " Olive leaf extract is

> not a single magic-bullet. There are very few such things,

> especially in non-pharmaceutical medicine. In many cases it takes a

> whole lot more than just one ingredient to get over a particular

> condition. Yet I find it a very valuable addition against chronic

> fatigue syndrome and many other viral conditions, especially those

> that are more tenacious. It fills a hole that we haven't been able

> to fill before. "

>

> In the Townsend Letter article, Takemoto told Morton Walker that he

> has " yet to discover another herbal substance that accomplishes

> antimicrobially what this substance achieves. "

>

> Takemoto went on to say that Lisa Weinrib, M.D., one of the

> physicians he works with, treats many cases of fibromyalgia and

> chronic fatigue syndrome.

>

> She has noticed that patients with these problems exhibit much

> improvement from use of the extract, according to Takemoto. " It's

> the missing link that functions as an antiviral and antiretroviral

> agent by slowing down the organism's reproductive cycle. A

> slowdown...allows the patient's immune system to go on the attack. "

>

> Takemoto says olive leaf extract has helped patients eliminate

> stubborn viral infections they have had for years. One patient, who

> had suffered from shingles (herpes zoster) for nine years,

> experienced complete relief within two days of starting olive leaf

> extract and other supplements.

>

> " In my approach, " Takemoto says, " I target key antibody responses

> for specific viruses, stimulate the immune system, and with olive

> leaf extract attempt to inhibit the reproduction of the virus. It

> takes everything to get over some of these real chronic conditions. "

>

>

>

> ---

>

>

> More Energy

>

> ---

>

>

> One of the most frequent comments we hear from patients after they

> start taking olive leaf extract is that they feel more energetic and

> have a greater sense of well-being. Many want to continue the

> supplement even after the treatment program has cleared up or

> reduced specific problems.

> Some patients are energized to the point that they inquire whether

> there is an " upper " in the product. There is not. It simply

> generates a natural " upper " effect. Healthy people who take it say

> they also feel this infusion of energy.

>

> One of my patients is an 18-year-old professional ice-skater who

> says that one or two olive leaf extract tablets a day helps her

> sustain the high energy level she needs for practice and

> performance.

>

> In my clinic, as in many others, fatigue is the No. 1 complaint. I

> am not refering to serious chronic fatigue situations but just

> routine tiredness, likely caused by a combination of consuming a

> dead food diet and not exercising. The average person, of course, is

> not going to change eating habits and is not going to go on a

> regular exercise program. In such cases, the olive leaf extract

> looks like a good source of pep for the pepless.

>

>

>

> ---

>

>

> Chronic Fatigue

>

> ---

>

> In my experience, olive leaf extract also has helped in many chronic

> fatigue cases, even the most serious. One female patient described

> to me what she called a " really quite unbelievable " recovery within

> one month of taking the supplement.

> " For the last few years I have not been feeling like myself. I've

> had little energy and enthusiasm for anything. This is not my usual

> nature. I attributed it to weight, unemployment and just being down.

> My head was always somewhat achy and I couldn't figure out why. The

> only way I could describe it would be as a constant low-degree

> headache which never left.

>

> " I started taking olive leaf extract and noticed an immediate

> elevation of my spirits. What I liked about the product was that it

> was effective but gentle and didn't make me hyper or unable to

> sleep. Quite the contrary, I slept better.

>

> " After a few days I began to notice more energy and a stronger sense

> of well-being. The cobwebs in my brain started to diminish. I also

> noticed a bad shoulder and a bad knee started to get better. The

> pain associated with these joints remarkably improved.

>

> " The only side-effects I had were a couple of headaches in the

> beginning which disappeared with some aspirin. I started to feel

> much, much better. It was amazing to see the fatigue disappear and

> my general health improve. I couldnít believe I felt so well. I

> stopped taking the product after 30 days and experienced no

> withdrawal or anything. I simply felt better and that has stayed the

> same for the last 60 days without the product. "

>

> Another female patient with Epstein-Barr Virus reported that the

> supplement " has helped me very much in overcoming the tiredness I

> feel. It has given me energy. "

>

> For some very sick individuals, including people with chronic

> fatigue syndrome or particularly heavy loads of virus or bacteria in

> their bodies, olive leaf extract may possibly generate

> detoxification symptoms -- known as the " die-off effect " -- that may

> be unpleasant.

>

> Such people may actually feel worse for a short time before feeling

> better. As an example, many chronic fatigue patients suffer from an

> associated depression. Patients of mine who toughed it out through

> the " die-off " period emerged highly energized and no longer

> depressed.

>

> The " die-off effect, " or Herxheimer Reaction as it is medically

> called, refers to symptoms generated by a detoxification process. If

> you are sick and use this product, you should be aware of the

> possibility. For this reason it may be advisable to consult first

> with a holistic health practitioner before using it.

>

> If you have ever used Nystattin to fight yeast infections, you are

> probably familiar with this situation. Nystattin kills yeast. As the

> body becomes full of dead yeast, you may experience a variety of

> detox symptoms. Symptoms may intensify to the point where you need

> to stop or reduce the dosage of the medication in order to give your

> body a chance to eliminate the toxic waste.

>

> Olive leaf extract is potent stuff. It can generate an internal

> cleansing action that may similarly cause significant detox

> symptoms. Refer to the next chapter about what to do if you

> experience such a reaction.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> " Die-off " Effect

>

> ---

>

> " Die-off " symptoms can begin almost immediately after starting the

> supplement.

> It can hit different people in different ways.

>

> Reactions include extreme fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, muscle/joint

> achiness or flu-like symptoms.

>

> Severity differs also from person to person, depending on the extent

> of infection.

>

> Keep in mind that such symptoms are positive signs.

>

> Nevertheless, they can be unpleasant.

>

> Some people may not want to continue because of the discomfort.

> Others handle it better. Others experience no such effect.

>

> Here's what to do in case of substantial detoxification symptoms:

>

> Reduce the number of tablets, or even stop them altogether for a

> while.

>

> You may need a day or two, or even a week,

> to allow your body to

> process the " die-off. "

>

> When you feel better, you can resume the supplement at a low dose

> and increase slowly.

>

> Holistic practitioners can usually provide a supportive

> detoxification program for individuals who experience a strong " die-

> off " response. In my clinic, this program includes taking vitamin C

> to bowel tolerance. Such a regimen is best done under professional

> guidance.

>

> Other than the " die-off " detoxification effect among some

> individuals, olive leaf extract appears to create no side effects.

>

> Past research with calcium elenolate, the derivative or oleuropein,

> included safety studies with laboratory animals.

>

> They were dosed orally and also via injection. The only symptom

> observed was a mild irritation of the mucous membrane among some

> animals at the injection site.

>

> Since olive leaf extract is taken orally, this

> observation is basically irrelevant.

>

> The research indicated that doses many times higher than recommended

> are unlikely to produce toxic or other adverse side effects. During

> 1993 testing of the liquid form of the product against the herpes

> virus, there were no observed or reported side effects.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Potential Against Serious Infectious Diseases

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Deaths from infectious diseases, formerly on the decline, have

> recently taken an alarming upward turn in this country.

> According to federal researchers, such deaths rose by 58% from 1980

> to 1992, pushing this category of illness up behind heart disease

> and cancer in the No. 3 spot of killer diseases.

>

> While the AIDS epidemic accounts for most of the rise, experts say

> there has been an unusual increase in mysterious respiratory

> infections among the elderly and blood infections among people of

> all ages. When you eliminate the AIDS the death rate during the same

> period for all other infectious diseases rose by 22 percent.

>

> The World Health Organization (WHO), back in 1978, looked to the

> future and issued a report which contended that by the year 2000,

> sources other than Western, technological medicine would be needed

> in order for all people to have adequate health care. The

> organization subsequently adopted the report that recommended the

> use of traditional forms of healing and medicine, such as the use of

> herbs, to meet the demands of an factor, exploding global

> population.

>

> As we approach the year 2000, the wisdon -- and the urgency -- of

> this advice is obvious in the light of the serious side-effects and

> shortcoming of pharmaceutical drugs.

>

> With the emergence, for instance, of antibiotic-resistant bacterial

> strains, natural products such as olive leaf extract take on greater

> importance. Even if new antibiotics are developed, new infectious

> bacteria would emerge that are resistant to new drugs. In the case

> of herbal medicinals, their complex chemistry may often render them

> potentially more effective against a wide variety of microorganisms

> for which pharmaceutical drugs prove to be ineffective.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> AIDS

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> It will be interesting to see if olive leaf extract can benefit AIDS

> cases. We know that it inhibits the production of reverse

> transcriptase and protease, enzymes necessary for certain viruses,

> such as HIV, to damage healthy cells.

> Informal, preliminary reports are promising.

>

> Mark Konlee, editor of " Positive Health News, " a newletter on

> alternative treatments that circulates widely in the AIDS community,

> has reported exciting initial results with olive leaf extract,

> either in the tablet supplement form or directly as a tea brewed

> from leaves, in combination with other ingredients.

>

> Those other ingredients, according to Konlee, have been found to be

> highly beneficial over the years. They include:

>

>

> Naltrexone, an immune-stabilizing drug used in the treatment of

> heroin and alcohol addiction. Clinical trials conducted by Bernard

> Bihari, MD, a New York City physician specializing in HIV/AIDS,

> demonstrated that this preparation stops the progression of the

> disease and the decline of the immune system in a majority of

> patients who take it regularly. Naltrexone stimulates key hormones

> regulating the immune system and the communication between the brain

> and immune function. No side effects have been reported.

>

> DNCB (dinitrochlorobenzene), a chemical used in photography labs

> that is applied in small doses on the skin. This compound acts as

> anti-viral agent by stimulating killer cell activity. An estimated

> 7,000 patients with AIDS have used this substance for some 10 years.

>

> A blend of olive oil/whole lemon juice. This " grassroots " recipe

> appears to be uniquely helpful in reversing neuropathy, swollen

> lymph nodes and wasting syndrome associated with the HIV.

>

> For more specifics on this approach, interested individuals may

> contact " Keep Hope Alive, " P.O. Box 27041, West Allis, WI 53227, or

> by phone at 414-548-4344.

> Konlee reports that the combination, with added olive leaf

> extract, " has producted stunning results, " including viral loads

> dropping dramatically within a month. Among the cases he describes

> are these:

>

> 1. A patient had been using Naltrexone since October 1995 along with

> weekly topical applications of DNCB. He had not used the olive

> oil/lemon juice blend. In August of that year he had had a CD8 count

> of 700. CD8 refers to killer T cells, which, along with so-called

> Natural Killer cells, are major immune destroyers of virus infected

> cells. They reduce viral loads and inhibit damage to the body's

> defenses.

> In January of 1996, his CD8 count had risen to 1380. In March of

> 1996 he added olive leaf extract at the standart dose of one capsule

> four times daily. He initially experienced a mild headache, a

> probably " die-off effect. " Within days, he reported a significant

> increase in energy along with the disappearance of swollen lymph

> nodes. He said he felt 20 years younger. On March 21, his CD8 count

> had soared to 1920! His physician said never before in his career

> had he seen such improvement in an AIDS patient.

>

> 2. One patient reported that after finishing a bottle of olive leaf

> extract, one of three Kaposi Sarcoma lesions on his chest vanished.

> He experienced headaches and flu-like symptoms for about two weeks,

> again a probable " die-off effect. " Continuing with a second bottle,

> he said the second lesion was completely gone and the last one

> was " fading fast. "

> His HIV viral load, as measured by PCR technology, had dropped from

> 160,000 to 30,000 in two months. Soon afterward, he reported that

> his PCR results for HIV were now down to 692.

>

> 3. An HIV patient reported his genital herpes vanished within four

> days of starting on the olive leaf extract.

>

> 4. Another patient with Kaposi's Sarcoma and retinitis added five

> capsules of olive leaf extract daily along with Naltrexone and DNCB.

> After doing this, he said that the sarcoma lesions stopped growing.

> This prompted him to stop two drugs he had been taking --

> Ganciclovir and Biaxin -- because of severe intestinal side effects.

> A few days after discontinuing the drugs, his digestion returned to

> normal. He soon reported improved vision and that lesions were

> becoming lighter in color.

>

> 5. One patient took the olive leaf extract by itself for about 3 1/2

> months. His HIV viral load dropped nearly in half as a result, along

> with significant improvements in his white blood cell counts. After

> adding Naltrexone and the lemon/olive oil drink, his improvement

> accelerated.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Herpes

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> I have recommened olive leaf extract to many patients with herpes.

> The results have been encouraging.

> One man in his early 40s suffered from repeated lesions plus

> fatigue. In a week after starting the supplement, his lesions

> disappeared and his energy level increased. He told me that olive

> leaf extract was the only preparation that had ever cleared up the

> herpes. " Even the most minute blisters are gone, " he said.

>

> A female patient had an unusually stubborn herpetic cold sore in the

> mouth for four months. She also suffered from cancer, thus there may

> have been some significant immune exhaustion involved. After one

> week with the olive leaf, the sore disappeared.

>

> These and other similar clinical successes are consistent with a

> private 1993 herpes study in humans. In that investigation, a weaker

> and ethanol (alcohol-based) form of olive leaf extract was used by

> six individuals with herpes.

>

> All reported symptomatic relief.

>

> Three said their lesions disappeared within 48 hours. The remaining

> three, who experienced no improvement, then received a stronger

> dose. One said that three days later, most of the lesions were gone.

> The other two also reported doing better.

>

> All six subjects said the olive leaf extract produced better results

> than Acyclovir, a medication they had previously used.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Flu and Colds

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Results to date indicate that olive leaf extract may be a good

> weapon against the common cold and flu. Consider the following

> letter written to me in August of 1995 by a female patient suffering

> from persistent flu symptoms:

> " I became ill with the flu in February and had several immune

> boosters, extra vitamins and three antibiotics. My fever was 102-103

> every afternoon and this continued even after the antibiotics. I

> developed paralyzing chest and abdominal pain, being confined to the

> couch for weeks -- not able to hardly walk. My weight dropped to 84

> pounds. Medical tests revealed nothing specifically wrong.

>

> I started taking olive leaf extract on July 18. Within a few days my

> temperature started dropping and it is slowly and steadily going

> down, so that some days I haven't needed to take Tylenol to reduce

> it. The pain is subsiding gradually and my appetite and strength is

> returning. "

>

> At the time of her next medical examination, the woman's temperature

> had been normal for a week. She hadn't needed pain-killers for two

> weeks.

>

> I received a striking testimony from an elementary school teacher

> with a history of asthma and vulnerability to colds and flu. She

> felt that olive leaf extract fortified her against the constant

> exposure to germs circulating throughout her classroom.

>

> " I used to get sick all the time, " she told me. " One school year I

> got strep throat eight times. If you sneezed at me, the chances are

> I would get sick. Not any more. When many kids in my class were

> coughing, sneezing, and blowing their noses before Christmas, I

> caught a slight cold and that's it. "

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Bacterial Infections

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> The ability of olive leaf extract to destroy bacteria was

> demonstrated dramatically in the case of a 64-year-old physician who

> had been bedridden for several years following a serious stroke. He

> also had recurrent bladder infections which caused considerable

> pain, smelly urine and fever.

> All efforts to alleviate his condition had been generally

> unsuccessful. Even a $1,000 antibiotic specially made for him had

> not worked. He had constant discomfort. His urine was cloudy " and

> looked like soup. " Often it was bloody.

>

> After one month on olive leaf extract, the infections had vanished.

> After six months, the condition has not recurred.

>

> The doctor also suffered from frequent allergies and colds and had

> to take medication to keep these under control. The incidence and

> severity were significantly minimized with the supplement and as a

> result he requires considerably less medicine.

>

> Naturopath Phil Selinsky reports success against bacterial

> infections in a number of cases. These include sinus and bladder

> infections and oral infections associated with tooth or gum disease.

>

> " Some patients have told me that olive leaf extract took down their

> dental-related infections within hours, " according to

> Selinsky. " They were quite impressed by the response. "

>

> The general recommendation for olive leaf extract is four tablets

> daily. For these kind of infections, Selinsky recommends patients

> begin with two tablets followed by another every four hours.

>

> " That usually gets you on top of the situation, " he says. For more

> serious infections, tablets can be taken at shorter intervals.

>

> One night a patient of mine developed swelling and intense pain from

> an abscess and decided to take several tablets at one time. It

> reduced the pain. In the morning, when the pain returned, he took

> a " handful " of tablets -- about eight or nine, he guesses. An hour-

> and-a-half later, the pain and swelling were gone. The pain did not

> return but a dental examination determined that the involved tooth

> had to go.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Diabetes

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Researchers have found that the natural olive leaf compounds can

> decrease the level of blood sugar. I have had several cases in my

> clinic confirming this finding.

> One involved a 15-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes. The teenager

> had been regularly taking 350 units of insulin daily for control.

> After one month on olive leaf extract, she was able to maintain

> similar control with just 220 units.

>

> In another case, the blood sugar level of a diabetic elderly priest

> dropped from 450 to 160 after three months. In an yet another

> instance, the blood sugar of a middle aged man stabilized at 140,

> down from 250, after one month. He reported a great increase in

> energy during this time.

>

> These results are exciting. I look forward to more opportunities to

> gauge the benefits of olive leaf for diabetics. Will it generate

> improved blood flow and antioxidant effects to help against the

> destructive vascular complications of diabetes that contribute to

> stroke, heart disease and peripheral circulatory problems?

>

> Time will tell.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> A number of patients have experienced significant easing of joint

> pain. We don't know yetprecisely how this is happening.

> A male patient, who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis

> five years before, had this to say: " After taking all the medicines

> I could stand with no real results, I was informed about some

> nutritional supplements. One of them was an olive leaf

> extract.' " After taking it for three weeks I noticied more

> flexibility in my fingers, elbows, and neck. There was marked relief

> of muscle tension surrounding my joints. Overall I am enjoying olive

> leaf extract with my daily routine. "

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Multiple Symptoms

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> One of our clinical observations is that olive leaf extract appears

> to work on many different levels in the body. As a result we often

> hear reports from patients that a variety of symptoms begin

> improving.

> One woman with chronic fatigue, frequent colds, asthma, and vaginal

> yeast infections said that all her symptoms had virtually cleared up

> within five weeks. The woman, a teacher, was able to take on new

> projects she wouldn't even begin to think were possible before.

>

> A male patient wrote a detailed letter about his experience:

>

> " I became ill in December 1993 and was diagnosed with a stomach and

> prostrate infection. I was treated with high doses of antibiotics,

> but never fully recovered. I was troubled with multiple symptoms,

> some of which were back and neck pain, fatigue, flu-like symptoms,

> swollen glands, sinus and digestive problems. I was subsequently

> diagnosed with fibromyalgia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and the

> physicians recommeded Prozac-type antidepressants and anti-

> inflammatory drugs. But I refused them. I began taking olive leaf

> extract along with my regular vitamin and mineral supplements in

> August of 1995 at the rate of one tablet every six hours. I

> increased the dosage after five days and began to feel better. "

>

> " I tried different dosages for a number of days until I found the

> optimum amount for me. Today I take three tablets four times a day.

> My overall health has greatly improved and so has my energy and

> disposition. One very interesting thing has occurred. My finger

> nails were infected, by whatever infection I had, leaving them

> wrinkled looking. Now they are slowly returning to their normal

> shape. "

>

> A female patient, after taking olive leaf extract for a month, gave

> me this happy report:

>

> " It has improved my allergy-like psoriasis, and symptoms of a kidney

> infection. I have been having back aches for almost a year and

> frequent urination. These have improved a lot also.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Fungus and Yeast Infections

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Earlier I mentioned my own positive experience with olive leaf

> extract. I started taking the supplement and it completely cleared

> up a stubborn toenail fungus infection. A number of other patients

> have told me similar stories.

> A woman with an infection of the large toenail said that within 60

> days her condition was about three-quarters healed. For five years,

> she had tried many types of medication and natural agents without

> help.

>

> More than 10 million Americans are said to have disfiguring fungal

> nail infections, a widely ignored medical problem. It is frequently

> found among patients with AIDS, cancer and diabetes, athletes,

> elderly individuals, people who spend considerable time standing or

> who wear the same shoes day after day, or who wear artificial

> fingernails. Drugs taken for cancer and AIDS lower resistance and

> are believed to make people more susceptible to infection.

>

> For the first time in 35 years, a new drug has been approved for the

> condition. It is called Sporanox and is reported to be more

> effective than previous anti-fungal preparations. But none of these

> preparations come cheap. Patricia Anstett of the Knight-Ridder

> Newspapers reports that two 100-milligram pills of Sproranox are

> taken daily for about three months at a cost of $900. Older drugs,

> taken for 12 months or more, cost double or more that amount over

> the longer duration. Even with the new drug, the condition may

> return if the medication is stopped.

>

> Olive leaf extract may offer a natural -- and for sure, less

> expensive -- method of self-treatment.

>

> One patient said a fungal infection of the tongue he had for 30

> years responded virtually overnight to the olive leaf. " I had tried

> all kinds of diets, treatments and regimes but to no avail, " he told

> me. " Within three weeks on olive leaf extract the fungus

> disappeared! "

>

> More than a dozen patients with candidiasis have reported

> significant improvements. They say they have fewer infections,

> allergic reactions, less dullness and more energy. One woman said

> she was finally able to clean out her dust-ridden garage. Before

> olive leaf extract that would have been impossible for her.

>

> One 36-year-old woman, who had suffered repeated vaginal yeast

> infections for several years, told me this account of her experience

> with olive leaf extract:

>

> " I have seen several doctors using conventional medicine. They

> prescribed every medication available to combat yeast, all to no

> avail. After less than three weeks of taking the olive leaf

> supplement, all symptoms cleared up and have not returned. As a

> sufferer of herpes simplex II, I would experience outbreaks several

> times a year. Now, I have had no more flare-ups. "

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Skin Conditions

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> A chronic scalp infection that had stubbornly resisted all treatment

> for more than 10 year responded directly to olive leaf extract

> within 60 days. The patient wrote me this detailed letter:

> " The condition would flare up causing very painful eruptions and

> lesions in my scalp, which, over time, have killed quite a few hair

> follicles. Modern medical doctors and dermatologists have been

> unable to eradicate (the condition). I had resolved my self to the

> fact that there was no cure.

>

> " I am satisfied that I am getting some significant results from

> using the olive leaf extract. My scalp remains a little tender, but

> the eruptions have all but ceased. I am continuing to use the

> product about twice a day, and the skin color is much healthier than

> it has been in recent time.

>

> " No matter what drug therapy my doctors have prescribed in the past,

> none has provided me with the level of relief I am currently

> experiencing. I would gladly recommend this product to others

> suffering chronic skin aliments. "

>

> A female patient reported better energy and disappearance of a rash

> in 30 days. The rash occurred in winter, or during times of extreme

> cold.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Tropical Illnesses

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Olive leaf extract may offer considerable potential in the treatment

> of tropical infections such as malaria and dengue.

> Malaria is caused by parasitic protozoans injected into the body by

> infected mosquitoes. Protozoans, in case you are interested, are one-

>

> celled organisms, the simplest creatures in the animal kingdom.

>

> As far back as 1827, reports have appeared in medical literature

> indicating the benefits of olive leaf extract in the treatment of

> malaria. In 1906, one report stated that olive leaves were, in fact,

> superior to quinine for malarial infections. Quinine was preferred,

> however, because it was easier to administer. In studies performed

> by the Upjohn company, calcium elenolate, the substance within

> oleuropein, was found to be effective against the malaria protozoa.

>

> Now in tablet form, there may be renewed interest in olive leaf

> extract as an anti-malarial agent. Preliminary reports from Latin

> America are promising.

>

> A full-fledged case of malaria at a clinic in Mexico was totally

> cured with a dosage schedule of two olive leaf extract supplements

> every six hours. A clinic report said that the 34-year-old female

> patient made a steady recovery and after six months, " she was

> without any of the malaria symptoms, not even anemia or shivers. Her

> breath is good. Her state of mind excellent and she does not show

> any signs of chronic or contagious disease. "

>

> Malaria has been reported recently in Texas and continues to be a

> leading cause of illness and deaths worldwide, particularly because

> of the development of drug-resistant strains. " It is a continuing

> concern in the United States because of increased international

> migration, travel, and commerce, " according to the publication

> Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports.

>

> Another serious tropical disease giving concern to public health

> officials is dengue fever. This ailment is also mosquito-borne, in

> this case caused by a virus, and occurs mainly in tropical Asia and

> the Caribbean. It can cause vomiting, high fever, loss of appetite,

> and abdominal pain, and is deadly in 50 percent of the cases. Some

> 50 million people are affected each year and about half a million

> require hospitalization, according to the World Health Organization.

> Researchers are trying to find a vaccine but no breakthroughs have

> occurred yet.

>

> In 1995, large outbreaks of dengue were reported by health

> authorities in 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Dosages

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Olive leaf extract is currently available in the form of 500 mg.

> tablets. The routine dosage is one tablet every six hours or four

> throughout the day. Take the supplement between meals for best

> results.

> In the case of bad colds or flu, you can use two tablets every six

> hours. For acute infections, some individuals have taken more --

> three and even four every six hours -- and reported rapid relief.

>

> If you encounter a " die-off " effect, cut back on the number of

> tablets you are taking or temporarily discontinue them. See the

> section on " die-off effect. "

>

> For healthy folks seeking more energy or the prevention benefits of

> olive leaf extract, we suggest one or two tablets a day. The younger

> and cleaner the body, the more responsive it is to supplements such

> as this. When a person becomes older and more toxic, more of the

> supplement is required to do the job.

>

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Dr. James R. Privitera, M.D.

>

> ---

>

> -----------

> Dr. Privitera, M.D. earned his medical degree at Creighton

> University and completed an Internship in Internal Medicine at

> Providence Hospital in Seattle, Washintion and his residency at

> Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco, CA. Following a Clinical

> Fellowship in allergy, immunology and rheumatolgy at Scripps Clinic

> in La Jolla, he entered private practice in allergy and nutrition in

> Covina, California where he practices today. Affiliated with the

> American Preventive Medical Association and the International

> College of Applied Nutrition, among others, Dr. Privitera has served

> on the boards of several top health organizations including the

> National Health Federation. A pioneer in dark field microscopy, Dr.

> Privitera has been asked to consult to some of our nations's leading

> vitamin manufacturers. He has a book soon to be released

> entitled " Silent Clots - the Nation's Biggest Killer " .

>

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> References

>

> ---

>

> -----------

>

> Cruess WV, and Alsberg CL, The bitter glucoside of the olive. J.

> Amer. Chem. Soc. 1934; 56:2115-7.

>

> Samuelsson G, The blood pressure lowering factor in leaves of Olea

> Europaea. Farmacevtisk Revy, 1951; 15: 229-39

>

> Veer WLC et al, A compound isolated from olea europaea. Recueil,

> 1957; 76:839-40

>

> Panizzi L et al, The constitution of oleuropein, a bitter glucoside

> of the olive with hypotensive action. Gazz. Chim. Ital; 1960;

> 90:1449-85.

>

> Renis HE, In vitro antiviral activity of calcium elenolate.

> Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 167-72.

>

> Elliott GA et al, Preliminary studies with calcium elenolate, an

> antiviral agent. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 173-76.

>

> Soret MG, Antiviral activity of calcium elenolate on parainfluenza

> infection of hamsters. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 160-66.

>

> Petkov V and Manolov P, Pharmacological analysis of the iridoid

> oleuropein. Drug Res., 1972; 22(9); 1476-86.

>

> Juven B et al, Studies on the mechanism of the antimicrobial action

> of oleuropein. J. Appl. Bact., 1972; 35:559-67.

>

> Hirschman SZ, Inactivation of DNA polymerases of Murine Leukaemia

> viruses by calcium elenolate. Nature New Biology, 1972; 238:277-79.

>

> Heinze JE et al, Specificity of the antiviral agent calcium

> elenolate. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1975: 8(4), 421-25.

>

> Kubo I et al, A mutichemical defense mechanism of bitter olive olea

> europaea (Oleaceae)-- Is oleuropein a phytoalexin precursor? J.

> Chem. Ecol 1985; 11(2):251-63.

>

> Gariboldi P et al, Secoiridoids from olea europaea, Phytochem.,

> 1986; 25(4)865-69.

>

> Zarzuelo A et al, Vasodilator effect of olive leaf, Planta Med.,

> 1991; 57 (5),417-9.

>

> Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Society of Pharmaceutical

> Industries of Tunis, Hypotension, hypoglycemia and hypouricemia

> recorded after repeated administration of aqueous leaf extract of

> Olea europaea, Belgian Pharmacology Journal, March-April 1994; 49

> (2), 101-8.

>

> Visioli F and Galli C, Oleuropein protects low density liproprotein

> from oxidation, Life Sciences, 1994; 55(24), 1965-71.

>

>

> ---

>

>

> 1996 by James. R. Privitera