Valorization of olive tree leaves : phytochemical and pharmacological characterizations, selection of extracts and formulation of herbal cream

Abstract

Olive tree (Olea EuropeaL.) is one of the most important crops in the Mediterranean countries. The global olive oil industry annually generates many tons of olive leaves as waste.The present study aims at a valorisation of Algerian olive leaves harvested from the region of Bouirafor therapeutic use. In order to evaluate the biological effects of the wild olive tree, chemical characterization tests of the leaves were carried out in the Natural Substances Laboratory of Saidal group according to their validated protocols drawn from the French pharmacopoeia. A phytochemical screening has been realized and whose purpose is to refer to the extraction, screening and identification of the medicinally active substances in the plant. Different extractions have been carried out in several solvents in order to extract bioactive molecules from the leaves using several solvents. Subsequently, a pharmacological characterization has been completed by determining the following: antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated in vitro by the DPPH method, anti-inflammatory activity was studied in vivo by induction of carrageenan oedema; the antibacterial activity was achieved by the agar medium diffusion method. Finally, we formulated an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ointments based on the results obtained