News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Potential as a New Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis affects millions of women worldwide, including up to 15% of women of reproductive age in the United States. It often causes chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and infertility. The condition occurs when endometrium-like tissue grows outside the uterus, potentially causing inflammation, bleeding, and pain.
Because endometriosis growth depends on estrogen, current treatments often lower estrogen levels or use anti-inflammatory medication. However, these treatments have limited effectiveness, high recurrence rates, and potential adverse effects on other estrogen-responsive organs. A team at Baylor College of Medicine conducted a new study to identify safer and more effective alternatives.
Finding: Olive Leaf Extract May Suppress Endometriosis
Study leader Dr. Sang Jun Han, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine, explained that endometriosis is closely associated with estrogen receptors (ERs), especially ER-β. Previous studies have shown that ER-β plays a key role in disease progression. The team proposed that selectively inhibiting ER-β without affecting ER-α might control the disease while avoiding the side effects of conventional hormone treatment.
In searching for a suitable nonhormonal treatment, the team screened several natural compounds and found that oleuropein from olive leaves had unique therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic Effects and Safety of Oleuropein
In mouse models, oleuropein selectively inhibited ER-β activity without affecting ER-α function. Mice receiving oleuropein had significantly smaller endometriosis lesions and improved disease. Unlike conventional hormone therapy, the compound did not damage the liver or impair fertility in the mice.
First author Dr. Yuri Park, a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, said, “In mice, oleuropein not only reduced lesions effectively but also increased pregnancy rates. This exciting finding offers a new direction for future endometriosis treatment.”
Advantages of a Natural Treatment: Safer and More Affordable
Oleuropein may cost less and cause fewer side effects than conventional hormone treatment. Dr. Sang Jun Han said, “Our findings support further investigation of oleuropein as a natural treatment for endometriosis. It is more affordable than current hormone therapies, and preliminary experiments suggest it may be safer.”
Next Step: Clinical Trials to Confirm Use in Humans
Although the animal study produced positive results, the team said clinical trials in humans are needed to further confirm the safety and effectiveness of oleuropein.
The study was published in the Journal of Biomedical Science under the title “Oleuropein suppresses endometriosis progression and improves the fertility of mice with endometriosis.”
The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (Grant R01HD098059).
News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Potential as a New Endometriosis Treatment
News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Potential as a New Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis affects millions of women worldwide, including up to 15% of women of reproductive age in the United States. It often causes chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and infertility. The condition occurs when endometrium-like tissue grows outside the uterus, potentially causing inflammation, bleeding, and pain.
Because endometriosis growth depends on estrogen, current treatments often lower estrogen levels or use anti-inflammatory medication. However, these treatments have limited effectiveness, high recurrence rates, and potential adverse effects on other estrogen-responsive organs. A team at Baylor College of Medicine conducted a new study to identify safer and more effective alternatives.
Finding: Olive Leaf Extract May Suppress Endometriosis
Study leader Dr. Sang Jun Han, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine, explained that endometriosis is closely associated with estrogen receptors (ERs), especially ER-β. Previous studies have shown that ER-β plays a key role in disease progression. The team proposed that selectively inhibiting ER-β without affecting ER-α might control the disease while avoiding the side effects of conventional hormone treatment.
In searching for a suitable nonhormonal treatment, the team screened several natural compounds and found that oleuropein from olive leaves had unique therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic Effects and Safety of Oleuropein
In mouse models, oleuropein selectively inhibited ER-β activity without affecting ER-α function. Mice receiving oleuropein had significantly smaller endometriosis lesions and improved disease. Unlike conventional hormone therapy, the compound did not damage the liver or impair fertility in the mice.
First author Dr. Yuri Park, a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, said, “In mice, oleuropein not only reduced lesions effectively but also increased pregnancy rates. This exciting finding offers a new direction for future endometriosis treatment.”
Advantages of a Natural Treatment: Safer and More Affordable
Oleuropein may cost less and cause fewer side effects than conventional hormone treatment. Dr. Sang Jun Han said, “Our findings support further investigation of oleuropein as a natural treatment for endometriosis. It is more affordable than current hormone therapies, and preliminary experiments suggest it may be safer.”
Next Step: Clinical Trials to Confirm Use in Humans
Although the animal study produced positive results, the team said clinical trials in humans are needed to further confirm the safety and effectiveness of oleuropein.
The study was published in the Journal of Biomedical Science under the title “Oleuropein suppresses endometriosis progression and improves the fertility of mice with endometriosis.”
The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (Grant R01HD098059).
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