Description

Olea Europaea Flower Extract is derived from the flowers of the olive tree (Olea europaea). This extract is valued in skincare for its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and soothing properties. It is commonly used in cosmetic formulations to enhance skin health and provide a calming effect.

Chemical Composition and Structure

Components:

Phenolic Compounds: Such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Flavonoids: Contributing to the extract’s skin-soothing and protective properties.
Essential Oils: Including various volatile compounds that may add to its sensory characteristics.
Chemical Formula:

Oleuropein: C25H30O13
Hydroxytyrosol: C8H10O3
Molecular Weight:

Oleuropein: Approximately 540 Da
Hydroxytyrosol: Approximately 154 Da

Physical Properties

Appearance: Typically a yellow to light brown liquid or powder, depending on the extraction method.
Odor: Mild, characteristic of olive flowers.
Solubility: Soluble in water and oil, depending on the extraction method and formulation.
pH: Generally neutral to slightly acidic (pH 5-7), compatible with the skin’s natural pH.
Stability: Stable under normal storage conditions; should be protected from light and heat to preserve its efficacy.

Production Process

Harvesting: Olive flowers are collected during the blooming period of the olive tree.
Extraction: The flowers are processed using methods such as solvent extraction, cold pressing, or steam distillation to obtain the active components.
Purification: The extract is purified to remove impurities and concentrate beneficial compounds.
Formulation: The purified extract is incorporated into cosmetic products, where it may be combined with other ingredients to enhance its effectiveness.

Applications

Cosmetics: Used in facial creams, serums, and masks for its antioxidant, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Personal Care Products: Included in toners and cleansers to promote skin health and provide a calming effect.
Pharmaceuticals: May be used in topical formulations for its potential anti-inflammatory and soothing effects.
Food: Not typically used in food products, but may be included in dietary supplements for its health benefits.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Olea Europaea Flower Extract is generally regarded as safe for topical use when formulated according to established guidelines. It also has environmental benefits by utilizing a by-product of olive tree cultivation. However:

Sustainability: Ensure that the flowers are sourced from sustainable olive farming practices.
Purity: Verify that the extract is free from harmful chemicals and contaminants.
Storage: Proper storage is essential to maintain the extract’s effectiveness and prevent degradation.

Studies

In the olive there are bioactive compounds useful for human health such as polyphenols, proteins.
Montealegre C, Esteve C, García MC, García-Ruiz C, Marina ML. Proteins in olive fruit and oil. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(5):611-24. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.598639. Review.
Abstract. This paper is a comprehensive review grouping the information on the extraction, characterization, and quantitation of olive and olive oil proteins and providing a practical guide about these proteins. Most characterized olive proteins are located in the fruit, mainly in the seed, where different oleosins and storage proteins have been found. Unlike the seed, the olive pulp contains a lower protein content having been described a polypeptide of 4.6 kDa and a thaumain-like protein. Other important proteins studied in olive fruits have been enzymes which could play important roles in olives characteristics. Part of these proteins is transferred from the fruit to the oil during the manufacturing process of olive oil. In fact, the same polypeptide of 4.6 kDa found in the pulp has been described in the olive oil and, additionally, the presence of other proteins and enzymes have also been described. Protein profiles have recently been proposed as an interesting strategy for the varietal classification of olive fruits and oils. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of knowledge without being explored requiring new studies focused on the determination and characterization of these proteins.

The amount of phenolic compounds is significant and explains the antioxidant activity of olive and olive oil:
phenols are present in quantities between 317mg/100g and 2657mg/100g.
gallic acid from 7mg/100g to 35mg/100g
3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid 33mg/100g to 25mg/100g
These values change substantially depending on the type of oleander, harvest period and other parameters.
Özcan MM, Fındık S, AlJuhaimi F, Ghafoor K, Babiker EE, Adiamo OQ. The effect of harvest time and varieties on total phenolics, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of olive fruit and leaves. J Food Sci Technol. 2019 May;56(5):2373-2385. doi: 10.1007/s13197-019-03650-8.
Abstract. The effect of harvest periods on total phenol, antioxidant activity, individual phenolic compounds of fruit and leaves of Tavşan Yüreği, Memecik, Edremit, Ayvalık and Gemlik olive varieties grown in Turkey were investigated. The highest total phenol (317.70 mg/100 g and 2657.81 mg/100 g) were observed in Tavşan Yüreği olive fruit and Ayvalık leaves harvested in December, respectively. The highest antioxidant activities (83.84%) were determined in Edremit fruit harvested in August and 83.33% in either Edremit olive leaves harvested in November and Tavşan Yüreği leaves harvested in December. The olive fruit contained gallic acid ranging from 7.18 mg/100 g (August) to 35.85 mg/100 g (December) in case of Ayvalık and 2.09 mg/100 g (November) to 21.62 mg/100 g (December) in Edremit. Gemlik olives showed higher gallic acid contents compared to the other varieties, however it depended significantly on harvest time in all cases. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid contents ranged from 33.11 mg/100 g (October) to 25.17 mg/100 g (September) in Memecik olives; 12.17 mg/100 g (August) to 33.11 mg/100 g (December) in case of Tavşan Yüreği olives depending on harvest time. The 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid contents of Memecik leaves ranged between 122.25 mg/100 g (September) to 196.58 mg/100 g (August) and that of Tavşan Yüreği leaves changed between 99.38 mg/100 g (November) and 179.90 mg/100 g (August). The leaves of these two varieties contained significantly (p < 0.01) higher 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid contents than other varieties. The highest gallic acid (144.83 mg/100 g) was detected in Memecik leaves (September) whereas lowest were found in Gemlik leaves collected in October.

The good protein and amino acid content of olive and in particular maslinic acid, a tripenoid, have shown that, together with moderate exercise, they can increase muscle mass, grip strength, knee pain and thus prevent disability related to mobility in older people.
Nagai N, Yagyu S, Hata A, Nirengi S, Kotani K, Moritani T, Sakane N. Maslinic acid derived from olive fruit in combination with resistance training improves muscle mass and mobility functions in the elderly. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2019 May;64(3):224-230. doi: 10.3164/jcbn.18-104. Epub 2019 Mar 7. PMID: 31138956; PMCID: PMC6529705.
Abstract. Maslinic acid, derived from olive fruit, reduces pro-inflammation cytokines, which are involved in muscle fiber atrophy. Therefore, the maslinic acid ingestion may enhance the muscular response to resistance training through anti-inflammatory action. We therefore conducted a parallel, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that examined whether a combination of maslinic acid supplementation and resistance training improve mobility functions in community-dwelling elderly persons. Over a 12-week period, 36 participants underwent moderate resistance training and are assigned to the maslinic acid supplementation (n = 17, 60 mg/day) or the placebo (n = 19) group. At baseline and at 12-weeks, we assessed body composition, grip strength, walking speed, leg strength, mobility functions, and knee pain scores. Following the 12-weeks, skeletal muscle mass, segmental muscle mass (right arm, left arm, and trunk) and knee pain score of the right leg were significantly improved in the maslinic acid group, while there was no change or parameters had worsened in the placebo group. Grip strength of the better side significantly increased only in the maslinic acid group. These results suggest that maslinic acid supplementation combined with moderate resistance training may increase upper muscle mass and grip strength, and reduce knee pain, could be effective for preventing mobility-related disability in elderly persons. Clinical trial registration number: UMIN000017207.

INCI Functions:


Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
Synonyms:

CAS: 8001-25-0 EC number 232-277-0