Contribution of Major Polyphenols to the Antioxidant Profile and Cytotoxic Activity of Olive Leaves

Aims: This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical profile and the cytotoxic activities of the eco-friendly extracts of olive leaves from Chemlali cultivar. Materials and Methods: The Phenolic composition of olive leaves extracts, the antioxidant activity and the cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells were determined. Results: Olive leaves extracts showed relevant total polyphenols contents. Oleuropein was the major detected phenolic compound reaching a concentration of 16.9 mg/ml. The antioxidant potential of the studied extracts varied from 23.7 to 46.5mM Trolox equivalents as revealed by DPPH and ABTS assays. Cytotoxicity experiments showed similar trends for both HepG2 and MCF-7 cells with the infusion extract being the most active. Conclusion: This study denotes that olive leaves may have great potential as endless bioresource of valuable bioactive compounds which may have a wide application.