Multiple pharmacological effects of olive oil phenols

Olive oil is a unique component of Mediterranean diet and is likely to be partially responsible for the health effects of this diet. Although the medicinal potential of olive oil has been largely attributed to the antioxidant effects of bio-phenols derived from olive oil, accumulating evidence strongly suggests that, to elucidate olive oil's benefits to human health, we have to go beyond antioxidants. In this communication, through summarizing the reference-reported and database-recorded pharmacological information of olive oil phenols, we reveal that multiple pharmacological effects, other than antioxidant potential, are involved in olive oil phenols, which is of significance for understanding the health benefits of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet.