News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Promise as New Treatment for Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease affecting millions of women worldwide, and in the United States alone, up to 15% of women of reproductive age are affected. This condition often causes chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and infertility. Its cause lies in the growth of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus, which can trigger inflammation, bleeding, and pain.
Because endometriosis depends on estrogen for growth, current treatments are mostly based on lowering estrogen levels or using anti-inflammatory drugs. However, these therapies have limited efficacy, high recurrence rates, and may cause adverse effects on other organs influenced by estrogen. To address this challenge, a research team at Baylor College of Medicine in the United States conducted a new study to find safer and more effective alternative treatment options.
Study Findings: Olive Leaf Extract May Effectively Suppress Endometriosis
Dr. Sang Jun Han, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine and lead researcher, explained that the development of endometriosis is closely related to estrogen receptors (ER), especially ER-beta. Previous studies have demonstrated that ER-beta plays a key role in promoting the progression of endometriosis. Therefore, the research team hypothesized that selectively inhibiting ER-beta, without affecting ER-alpha, might effectively control the disease without the side effects of traditional hormonal therapy.
To identify suitable non-hormonal therapies, the research team screened a series of natural compounds and ultimately found that oleuropein, found in olive leaves, has unique therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Oleuropein
In experiments using mouse models, the researchers found that oleuropein can selectively inhibit the activity of ER-beta without affecting the function of ER-alpha. In the experiments, mice treated with oleuropein showed significantly reduced endometriotic lesions, and the condition was effectively alleviated. Furthermore, unlike traditional hormonal therapy, this compound did not cause liver damage in the mice, nor did it affect their fertility.
Dr. Yuri Park, first author of the study and postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, stated: "In mouse experiments, oleuropein not only effectively reduced lesions but also increased the pregnancy rate of affected mice. This finding is exciting and provides new insights for the future treatment of endometriosis."
Advantages of Natural Therapy: Safer and More Cost-Effective
Compared to traditional hormonal therapy, oleuropein has lower costs and fewer side effects. Dr. Sang Jun Han noted: "Our research results support further exploration of oleuropein as a natural therapy for endometriosis. It is more economical than existing hormonal therapies, and preliminary experiments suggest it may have a better safety profile."
Next Steps: Clinical Trials to Verify Applicability in Humans
Although the study achieved positive results in animal experiments, the research team stated that the next step is to conduct clinical trials in humans to further verify the safety and efficacy of oleuropein.
The study has been published in the Journal of Biomedical Science, under the title "Oleuropein suppresses endometriosis progression and improves the fertility of mice with endometriosis."
The research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in the United States (Grant R01HD098059).
Story Source:
Collected from the internet
Author LinkedIVF TeamPublished 2025-03-05
This article used AI assistance; LinkedIVF has not recorded an editorial review for this item. It is not medical advice.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a licensed physician. Content guidelines & editorial policy
News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Potential as a New Endometriosis Treatment
News | Olive Leaf Extract Shows Promise as New Treatment for Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease affecting millions of women worldwide, and in the United States alone, up to 15% of women of reproductive age are affected. This condition often causes chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and infertility. Its cause lies in the growth of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus, which can trigger inflammation, bleeding, and pain.
Because endometriosis depends on estrogen for growth, current treatments are mostly based on lowering estrogen levels or using anti-inflammatory drugs. However, these therapies have limited efficacy, high recurrence rates, and may cause adverse effects on other organs influenced by estrogen. To address this challenge, a research team at Baylor College of Medicine in the United States conducted a new study to find safer and more effective alternative treatment options.
Study Findings: Olive Leaf Extract May Effectively Suppress Endometriosis
Dr. Sang Jun Han, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine and lead researcher, explained that the development of endometriosis is closely related to estrogen receptors (ER), especially ER-beta. Previous studies have demonstrated that ER-beta plays a key role in promoting the progression of endometriosis. Therefore, the research team hypothesized that selectively inhibiting ER-beta, without affecting ER-alpha, might effectively control the disease without the side effects of traditional hormonal therapy.
To identify suitable non-hormonal therapies, the research team screened a series of natural compounds and ultimately found that oleuropein, found in olive leaves, has unique therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Oleuropein
In experiments using mouse models, the researchers found that oleuropein can selectively inhibit the activity of ER-beta without affecting the function of ER-alpha. In the experiments, mice treated with oleuropein showed significantly reduced endometriotic lesions, and the condition was effectively alleviated. Furthermore, unlike traditional hormonal therapy, this compound did not cause liver damage in the mice, nor did it affect their fertility.
Dr. Yuri Park, first author of the study and postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, stated: "In mouse experiments, oleuropein not only effectively reduced lesions but also increased the pregnancy rate of affected mice. This finding is exciting and provides new insights for the future treatment of endometriosis."
Advantages of Natural Therapy: Safer and More Cost-Effective
Compared to traditional hormonal therapy, oleuropein has lower costs and fewer side effects. Dr. Sang Jun Han noted: "Our research results support further exploration of oleuropein as a natural therapy for endometriosis. It is more economical than existing hormonal therapies, and preliminary experiments suggest it may have a better safety profile."
Next Steps: Clinical Trials to Verify Applicability in Humans
Although the study achieved positive results in animal experiments, the research team stated that the next step is to conduct clinical trials in humans to further verify the safety and efficacy of oleuropein.
The study has been published in the Journal of Biomedical Science, under the title "Oleuropein suppresses endometriosis progression and improves the fertility of mice with endometriosis."
The research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in the United States (Grant R01HD098059).
Story Source:
Collected from the internet