From Waste to Health: Olive Mill Wastewater for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Waste from the agri-food chain represents a valuable reservoir of organic compounds with health-promoting properties. is a derivative obtained from olive-oil wastewater. Its enrichment in hydroxytyrosol (HT) via a patented technique has paved the way for its potential application as a dietary supplement in preventing cardiovascular diseases. demonstrates no significant alteration in cardiac and vascular parameters in "ex vivo" studies. However, it exhibits a strong ability to remove reactive oxygen species and exerts anti-inflammatory effects, notably reducing the concentration of iNOS and mitigating heart infections in "in vitro" experiments. Furthermore, slightly decreases the stiffness of the "ex vivo" thoracic aorta, potentially resulting in lowered arterial pressure and enhanced energy transfer to a normal ventricle. Based on these findings, we posit as a promising extract for cardiovascular disease prevention, and its specific antibacterial properties suggest its utility in preventing cardiac infections.