Hydroxytyrosol is a compound found in olive oil that has been identified by Spanish scientists as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and could facilitate the recovery of patients who have suffered a stroke.
A group of researchers from the University of Jaén, in collaboration with the University Hospital of Jaén, has managed to identify a compound present in olive oil, known as hydroxytyrosol, which could improve the treatment of people who have suffered a stroke. According to the Fundación Descubre, linked to the Ministry of University, Research and Innovation, these preliminary findings could open the door to new large-scale studies to confirm the observed benefits.
In Spain, a person suffers a stroke every six minutes, according to data from the National Federation of Patients with this Disease. A stroke occurs when brain cells stop receiving oxygen due to a reduction or blockage of blood flow, which can cause mild sequelae, such as loss of strength, to serious consequences such as visual problems, language disorders, cognitive disorders, or even death.
Recovery from a stroke depends on the initial damage and appropriate rehabilitation to restore, as far as possible, the affected neurological functions. In the study entitled ‘Hydroxytyrosol, a Promising Supplement in the Management of Human Stroke: An Exploratory Study’, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, scientists detail the results of a study in which they administered hydroxytyrosol (HT), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound extracted from the olive tree, to patients who had suffered a stroke.
Before this study in humans, researchers had already tested hydroxytyrosol in mice, observing that it improved brain connectivity, increased muscle strength and enhanced memory and learning ability. “Now we need to confirm that these advances also occur in humans,” explained Angela Naranjo, researcher at the University of Jaén and lead author of the study, in statements to the Descubre Foundation.
A promising supplement for stroke recovery
The trials focused on following eight patients who had suffered an ischemic stroke. Half of them were given a nutritional supplement containing 15 milligrams of hydroxytyrosol every 24 hours for 45 days. During this period, the researchers assessed biochemical parameters and other indicators related to brain damage.
They also analysed blood pressure and the serum proteome, which is the set of proteins in the blood serum linked to the body’s response to stroke. In addition, the Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation services assessed the neurological and functional evolution of the patients at 45 and 90 days after the stroke, comparing them with a control group.
The results showed that those who took hydroxytyrosol had a reduction in certain markers of inflammation. The researchers identified 339 proteins and observed that hydroxytyrosol influenced the expression of some of them, which is linked to better long-term recovery.
Patients receiving hydroxytyrosol showed a lower degree of disability or dependence in daily activities and greater muscle strength.
At the neurological level, patients who received hydroxytyrosol showed better results in various impairment tests, such as the Rankin scale, which measures the degree of disability or dependence in daily activities. In addition, the risk of falls, the ability to walk, cognitive function and muscle strength were also evaluated, the latter being greater in patients treated with the compound.
The research team is already working on expanding this study to validate these initial results in a larger number of patients and thus consider hydroxytyrosol as a complement in the treatment of stroke. “This has been a first step towards what we hope will be more ambitious research in the near future. The results so far suggest improvements in patients, both at a biochemical and functional level,” conclude Eva Siles and Esther Martínez, leaders of the project.
Source: Fundación Descubre, an organization dependent on the Department of University, Research and Innovation
