Olive keaf, a traditional phytomedicine for diabetes and hypertension

Abstract

Olive leaves are used in Mediterranean folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia since Ancient times. In the last decades, different authors have studied its chemical composition and ratified its pharmacological properties both in vitro and in vivo and, more recently, clinical trials focusing on its effects on diabetes and hypertension have been developed. In this chapter, information about recent studies on olive leaf are compiled, including its effects on the specific subject of this chapter, but also on other potential pharmacological effects.