Olive trees not only produce olives but also generate a substantial amount of waste and by-products, including leaves, pomace (the solid remains after pressing olives for oil), and wastewater from the olive oil-making process. The waste products, particularly the leaves, contain bioactive compounds, especially phenolic compounds, known for their health benefits, such as high antioxidant potential and the ability to reduce inflammation. These compounds have shown promise in preventing and treating cancer. This review, based on in vitro evidence, provides a detailed description and discussion of the mechanisms through which these compounds from olive leaves can prevent development, the ways they might act against cancer cells, and their potential to increase the sensitivity of tumor cells to conventional anticancer therapy. The possible synergistic effects of these compounds suggest that olive leaf extracts may offer a promising approach for cancer treatment, compared with isolated compounds, thus providing novel possibilities for cancer therapy.

Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death in many countries. Green tea (GT) has been proposed to play a crucial role in cancer chemoprevention. Although extensive research has been conducted on GT phytochemicals, most experimental studies concentrate mainly on commercial formulations or isolated catechins. This study presents a comparative investigation into the anticancer properties of green tea extract (GTE) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in a three-dimensional (3D) MCF-7 breast cancer cell culture. MCF-7 spheroids were exposed to GTE or EGCG, and effects on 3D culture formation, growth, cell viability, and migration were examined. GTE inhibits cell migration and the formation of breast cancer spheroids more effectively than EGCG, while inducing more pronounced morphological changes in the spheroids’ structure. These findings suggest that the food matrix improves GTE effects on breast cancer spheroids, supporting the hypothesis that a mixture of phytochemicals might enhance its anticancer potential.

Os compostos fenólicos de produtos da oliveira (Olea europaea L.) apresentam potencial antitumoral devido a prevenção da gênese e de supressão tumoral em diferentes modelos de câncer. Este artigo tem por objetivo realizar uma análise da literatura, por meio de uma revisão integrativa, sobre o potencial antitumoral dos compostos fenólicos dos produtos da oliveira. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, de caráter qualitativo e exploratório, baseada em estudos pré-clínicos, in vitro e in vivo, publicados em periódicos indexados em bases de dados que abordam a temática. A busca, sem restrição de data, foi realizada nas bases de dados Web of Science, PUBMED e Scopus. As evidências sugerem que compostos fenólicos de produtos da oliveira (oleuropeína, hidroxitirosol, tirosol e oleocantal) podem exercer efeitos de inibição da gênese tumoral, como a reparação e a proteção contra danos do estresse oxidativo e da inflamação crônica, e dessa maneira, poderiam auxiliar na redução do risco de câncer, postergando o desenvolvimento, a progressão ou recorrência de diversos tipos de tumores. A análise dos estudos demonstrou potencial antitumoral dos compostos fenólicos da oliveira por apresentarem atividade anticâncer por meio da diminuição do crescimento e da viabilidade celular, inibição da proliferação, migração e invasão celular, modulação nas fases do ciclo celular e indução da apoptoses em diferentes modelos tumorais.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver massa de empada à base de grão de bico com adição de farinha de linhaça e avaliar as suas características microbiológicas, sensoriais e nutricionais. Foram desenvolvidas Formulação Padrão (FP), à base de farinha de trigo refinada, e Formulação Experimental (FE), à base de grão de bico e com farinha de linhaça. Foram realizadas análises microbiológica e sensorial e informação nutricional nas massas recheadas assadas. Aplicaram-se testes de aceitação e intenção de compra. FP e FE estavam de acordo com os padrões microbiológicos legais vigentes. Observou-se diferença (p≤0,05) entre FP e FE para todos os atributos; porém, com médias > 7, indicando boa aceitação. Comparada à FP, FE obteve médias menores de textura e sabor, mas bem aceitas, e 52% dos consumidores comprariam a FE. A FE contém menores teores de gorduras totais e saturadas, sódio e valor energético, e maior de proteínas, comparada à FP, e com 5,6g de fibras alimentares. Grão de bico e farinha de linhaça são viáveis para massa de empada com valores sensorial, nutricional e funcional agregados e potencial de mercado.

Olive leaves, an abundant agro-industrial by-product, represent a valuable source of phenolic compounds. Cultivars grown in Brazil remain underexplored at the metabolomic level, particularly regarding strategies for their valorization. Extraction methods, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction and infusion, offer distinct pathways for utilizing this by-product. This study aimed to characterize the phenolic metabolome (UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS) and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH assays) of olive leaves from two cultivars grown in Brazil (Coratina and Picual), comparing ultrasound-assisted extracts and infusion. Multivariate analyses (principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering) were applied to evaluate sample discrimination and correlations between phenols and antioxidant activity (Spearman). The phenolic profile was complex, dominated by secoiridoids and including flavonoids, and was more efficiently recovered by ultrasound-assisted extraction. A clear distinction was observed between extraction methods and cultivars, with differences mainly attributed to the relative abundance of medium- and low-abundance metabolites. Correlation analysis indicated positive associations between multiple phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, suggesting a synergistic effect driven by the overall metabolic profile. These findings provide novel metabolomic insights into olive leaves from Brazilian-grown cultivars and demonstrate that extraction strategy plays a key role in their valorization. Ultrasound-assisted extraction maximizes compound recovery, whereas infusions represent an accessible home-based method for enhancing antioxidant intake.