If you cannot tolerate wild oregano oil, you can use olive leaf as a substitute. Olive leaf has also been tested and used extensively in anti-Candida protocols. It can also be used in combination with wild oregano, or, alternating with wild oregano. Many people (especially those with stubborn infections) prefer to alternate between olive leaf and wild oregano, so that the pathogens don't get used to one substance – they feel this is a more powerful approach.
Dr. Ronald Hoffman provides us with this fantastic overview of the varied, yet powerful, uses for olive leaf extract:
"The ancient Egyptians regarded olive leaf as a symbol of heavenly power, and in keeping with that belief, they extracted its oil and used it to mummify their kings. The healing powers of olive leaf were realized as early as the 1880s when it was utilized to counteract malaria. According to the 1854 Pharmaceutical Journal of Provincial Transactions (pp. 363-354), Hanbury stated that a "decoction of the leaves" of the olive tree had been found to be extremely effective in reducing fevers due to a severe, and otherwise often-fatal disease that swept the island of Mytelene in 1843. The olive leaf extract was reported subsequently to be more effective in its fever-lowering properties than quinine. Hanbury recalled that similar observations had been made in France and Spain between 1811 and 1828. It appears that in the early 19th century, Spanish physicians sometimes prescribed olive leaves as a "febrifuge", and often used them to treat cases of intermittent fever (2). Hanbury concluded that the properties of the tree Olea europea deserved more extensive investigation.
In the early1900s scientists isolated a bitter compound called oleuropein from olive leaf that was thought to give the olive tree its disease resistance. In 1962 an Italian researcher recorded that Oleuropein had the ability to lower blood pressure in animals. Other European researchers validated that claim and also found it to increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmia and prevent intestinal muscle spasms. In the years to come, a Dutch researcher identified that a primary ingredient in oleuropein inhibited the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. This chemical was elenolic acid. Further European research determined this compound to have strong bactericidal, antiviral and antifungal capabilities. A safety study on calcium elenolate was tested with laboratory animals and published by the Upjohn pharmaceutical company in 1970. The study concluded that even in doses several hundred times higher than recommended; no toxic or other adverse side effects were discovered.
From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that supplemental olive leaf may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium or protozoan. Among those treatable conditions are: influenza, the common cold, candida infections, meningitis, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles (Herpes zoster), HIV/ARC/AIDS, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, dengue, severe diarrhea, and dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.
Research suggests that olive leaf may be a true anti-viral compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. It then appears to offer healing effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics. Olive leaf's broad killing power includes an ability to interfere with critical amino acid production for viruses; an ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses by preventing virus shredding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane; the ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication."
Dosage Guidelines: For the flu take either 1000 mg (24 drops), 4 times per day with meals, or 500 mg (14 drops) every hour while awake. For long standing infections or candida, take 1000 mg (24 drops), three to four times per day, with meals.
References:
Hanbury D. On the febrifuge properties of the olive (Olea europea, L.), Pharmaceutical Journal of Provincial Transactions, pp. 353-354, 1854.
Cruess WV, and Alsberg CL, The bitter glucoside of the olive. J Amer. Chem. Soc. 1934; 56:2115-7.
Veer WLC et al. A Compound isolated from Europea. Recueil,1957; 76:839-40.
Panizzi L et al. The constitution of oleuropein, a bitter glucoside of the olive with hypotensive action. Gazz. Chim. Ital; 1960; 90:1449-85.
Renis HE, In vitro antiviral activity of calcium elenolate, an antiviral agent. Antimicrob. AgentsChemother., 1970; 167-72.
Petkov V and Manolov P, Pharmacological analysis of the iridoid oleuopein. Drug Res., 1972; 22(9); 1476-86.
Zarzuelo A et al, Vasodilator effect of olive leaf, Planta Med., 1991; 57(5)417-9.
The evaluation of long-term effects of cinnamon bark and olive leaf on toxicity induced by streptozotocin administration to rats. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999 Nov;51(11):1305-12.
