Title:An Overview of the Modulatory Effects of Oleic Acid in Health and Disease
Volume: 13
Issue: 2
Author(s): Helioswilton Sales-Campos, Patricia Reis de Souza, Bethanea Crema Peghini, Joao Santana da Silva and Cristina Ribeiro Cardoso
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Oleic acid, modulatory effects, cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, wound healing
Abstract: Evidences in the last years have showed the effects of oleic acid (OA) in human health and disease. Olive oil,
rich in oleic acid, is supposed to present modulatory effects in a wide physiological functions, while some studies also
suggest a beneficial effect on cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, besides its ability to facilitate wound
healing. Although the OA role in immune responses are still controversial, the administration of olive oil containing diets
may improve the immune response associated to a more successful elimination of pathogens such as bacteria and fungi,
by interfering in many components of this system such as macrophages, lymphocytes and neutrophils. Then, novel
putative therapies for inflammatory and infectious diseases could be developed based on the characteristics presented by
unsaturated fatty acids like OA. Finally, the purpose of this work was to review some of the modulatory effects of OA on
inflammatory diseases and health, aiming at high lightening its potential role on the future establishment of novel
therapeutic approaches for infections, inflammatory, immune, cardiovascular diseases or skin repair based on this fatty
acid mainly found in the Mediterranean diet.
