Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it OK to rub oilve oil into the skin instead of eating it?

Some clinical facts about topical effects of olive oil

Olive oil contains flavonoids, and antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal compounds, that affect the production of immune cells cytokines by skin cells when applied topically.

It's shown to be effective for treatment of dermatitis, psoriasis and skin fungal infection. The effect is more prominent when olive oil is mixed with honey. It's thought that honey influence the skin directly, from outside while olive oil is effective mostly from inside out so they are more often talking about dietary olive oil rather than its use as an ointment but these two are not mutually exclusive.

A diet rich in olive oil has been shown to increase nitric oxide and decrease arachidonic acid production by the immune cells macrophages.

Nitric oxide released from the skin through the sweat glands has antimicrobial activity.

On the other hand, the effects of the topical treatment might be caused by an elevation of nitric oxide concentrations directly on the skin surface leading to inhibition of fungal or bacterial growth and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Olive oil topically applied after UV exposure can reduce UV-induced damage of the skin, possibly via its antioxidant effects.

References:

Tuck K, Hayball P. Major phenolic compounds in olive oil. J Nutr Biochem 2002; 13: 636–644.

Noa M, Mas R. Effect of D-002 on the pre-ulcerative phase of carrageenan-induced colonic ulceration in the guinea pig. J Pharm Pharmacol 1998; 50: 549–553.

Al-Waili N, Saloom K. Effects of topical honey on post-operative wound infections due to gram positive and gram negative bacteria following caesarean sections and hysterectomies. Eur J Med Res 1999; 26: 126–130.

Al-Waili N. Investigating the antimicrobial activity of natural honey and its effects on the pathogenic bacterial infections of surgical wounds and conjunctiva. J Med Food 2004; 7: 210–222.

Al-Waili N. Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Eur J Med Res 2001; 6: 306–308.

Tranter S, Tassou C, Nychas J. The effect of the olive phenolic compound, oleuropein, on growth and enterotoxin B production by Staphylococcus aureus. J Appl Bacteriol 1993; 74: 253–259.

posted by Tanya @ 3:02 AM