Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in the Treatment of Traumatic Ulcers Case Report

In a particular geographical area of southern Italy (BT, Puglia) a particular type of extra virgin olive oil(EVOO) is produced from the "Coratina" [1] cultivar very rich in polyphenols and biocompounds , and it has been custom since the last century for inhabitants to use it for the treatment of various pathologies, including burns, trauma, inflammatory cheilitis of various kinds. However, despite its extensive use, no scientific studies have been proposed, although numerous studies on olive oil have demonstrated its remarkable effectiveness in healing wounds following skin burns [2,3,4,5,6], in healing foot wounds in diabetic patients [5]. In bedsores with progress this practice has gradually disappeared and almost forgotten. In addition, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an essential food of the Mediterranean diet (MD) and countries in the Mediterranean area such as Spain, Italy and Greece represent the most important producers in the world. As documented by numerous studies published in recent decades, most of the beneficial effects of the MD on promoting human health can be attributed to EVOO [7]. Consumption of olive oil is able to reduce lipid and DNA oxidation, improve the lipid profile and insulin resistance , endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients and change the response of the immune system [8,9]. Precisely for the antiinflammatory power that the oil possesses and for the traditions handed down by our ancestors, we decided to use EVOO as therapy in the treatment of a lesion of the mucous membrane in patient wearing prostheses on implants

Utilizzo dell’olio extravergine d’oliva (EVOO) nel trattamento di un’ulcera traumatica nel cavo orale. Un case report

Introduzione L'olio extravergine di oliva (EVOO) è un alimento essenziale della dieta mediterranea (MD) e alcuni paesi dell'area mediterranea come Italia, Spagna e Grecia rappresentano i maggiori e più importanti produttori in tutto il mondo. In un’area geografica del sud Italia e precisamente in tutto l’agro del nord-barese della Puglia, viene prodotto un particolare tipo di olio extravergine d’oliva dalla cultivar “Coratina” caratterizzata dalla presenza di un alto contenuto in polifenoli, il più alto rispetto ad altre cultivar (1) e molto ricco di biocomposti. Fin dal secolo scorso, era consuetudine per gli abitanti della zona utilizzarlo per la cura di varie patologie: ustioni, traumi, cheiliti e processi infiammatori di varia natura. Con il tempo, questa pratica è andata via via scomparendo e quasi dimenticata. Negli ultimi decenni sono stati pubblicati numerosi studi che hanno documentato come la maggior parte degli effetti benefici della dieta mediterranea nella promozione della salute umana, può essere attribuita al consumo di olio extravergine di oliva(EVOO) (2). Il consumo di olio extravergine d'oliva è in grado di ridurre l'ossidazione lipidica e del DNA, migliorare il profilo lipidico e l'insulino-resistenza, la disfunzione endoteliale, l'infiammazione, ridurre la pressione sanguigna nei pazienti ipertesi e modificare la risposta delle difese immunitarie (3, 4). Nonostante il suo vasto utilizzo e sebbene numerosi studi sull'olio extravergine di oliva abbiano dimostrato la sua notevole efficacia nella guarigione delle ustioni della cute (5,6,7), delle piaghe da decubito (8) e delle ferite del piede nel paziente diabetico (9), nessuno studio scientifico è stato proposto per la terapia delle ulcere traumatiche nel cavo orale. In questo case-report abbiamo deciso di utilizzare l’EVOO come presidio terapeutico nel trattamento delle lesioni della mucosa orale in una paziente portatrice di protesi su impianti. Parole chiave: olio extravergine di oliva, polifenoli, cultivar Coratina, ulcere traumatiche

Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in the treatment of traumatic ulcers. A case report

Introduction Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an essential food of the Mediterranean diet (MD) and some countries in the Mediterranean area such as Italy, Spain and Greece represent the largest and most important producers in the world. In Southern Italy, precisely all through the countryside of the north of Bari in Apulia, is produced a particular type of extra virgin olive oil by cultivar "Coratina" characterized by the presence of a high content of polyphenols, the highest compared to other cultivars (1) and very rich in biocompounds. Since the last century, it was customary for the inhabitants of the area to use it for the treatment of various diseases: burns, trauma, cheilitis and processes inflammation of various kinds. Over time, this practice has gradually disappeared and almost forgotten. In recent decades, numerous studies have been published which have documented most of the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet in promoting human health. Its beneficial effects can largely be attributed to the consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (2). The consumption of extra virgin olive oil is able to reduce lipid and DNA oxidation, improve the lipid profile and insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients and modify the response of the immune system (3, 4). Despite its extensive use and although numerous studies on extra virgin olive oil have shown its remarkable effectiveness in healing skin burns (5, 6, 7), bedsores (8) and foot wounds in the diabetic patient (9), no scientific studies have been proposed for the treatment of traumatic ulcers in the oral cavity. In this case - report, we decided to use EVOO as a therapeutic aid in the treatment of mucosal oral injury in a prosthesis on implant-bearer patient. Key words: extra virgin olive oil, polyphenols, “Coratina” cultivar, traumatic ulcers