Abstract
The unsaponifiable fraction of olive oil from unripe fruits of Olea europaea at different stages of maturation (from 20 to 32 weeks after flowering) was analyzed
by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in order to select the time associated to
the unsaponifiable fraction with the maximal yield in bioactive constituents. According
to quantitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, the unsaponifiable
fraction (2.46 % of the total oil) from olive fruits at the 22nd week was found to
contain the maximal yield in anti-inflammatory constituents. Its composition was lanosterol
(2.60 mg/g oil), stigmasterol (2.15), cycloartanol acetate (2.04), stigmastan-3,5-diene
(2.01), obtusifoliol (1.93), cholesta-4,6-dien-3-one (1.42), α-amyrin (1.42), α-tocopherol (1.32), squalene (1.02), β-amyrin (0.57), and β-sitosterol (0.22). At later times, there was a decrease in the quantitative unsaponifiable
fraction yield and a qualitative shift in the bioactive constituents. The 22nd week
unsaponifiable fraction was subsequently incorporated into a topical preparation to
be utilized for a small pilot clinical study in five patients affected by osteoarthrosis.
According to clinical observation, the application of the ointment (three times daily
for three weeks) attenuated hand and knee joint inflammatory features in all patients
and was not associated to any adverse reactions.
Key words
Olea europaea
- Oleaceae - unsaponifiable fraction - triterpenoids-sterol compounds - unripe olive
oil - osteoarthrosis - topical application - inflammation
