Proprietary olive leaf extract may support joint health in individuals experiencing knee pain, says recent study

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A recently published study¹ found that a proprietary olive leaf extract called Bonolive, from BioActor (Maastricht, Netherlands), may support joint health in people with knee pain. The olive leaf extract is standardized to 40% oleuropein content.

In the study, 124 subjects with knee pain and mobility issues were randomized to receive either one 125 mg capsule or placebo twice daily for six months. Co-primary endpoints of the study were the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) using a self-administered questionnaire and serum levels of Coll2-1NO2, a specific amino acid sequence located in the triple helicoidal part of type-II collagen and considered as a biomarker of cartilage degradation.

Results showed that KOOS scores tended to be higher among subjects taking OLE, but the differences were not significant when compared to placebo. The same was true of Coll2-1NO2 levels. During post hoc analysis, the results were stratified to three groups based on walking pain: low walking pain with a visual analog scale (VAS) score between 30 and 50, medium walking pain with a VAS score above 50 and less than 62, and high walking pain with a VAS score above 62. This sub-group analysis found that treatment with OLE significantly increased the KOOS global score and decreased pain at walking at month 6 in subjects with high walking pain at baseline.

According to the researchers, the potential mechanism of action for the OLE’s pain relief properties is the blocking of calcium channels, such as N-type calcium channels, which are important for neuronal excitability and play a role in pain genesis. “These channels are known to be the major route for Ca2+ entry into the nerve terminals of nociceptors and therefore, blockers of these channels would be expected to produce antinociceptive effects by reducing transmitter release,” write the authors.

“We are proud of the results achieved thanks to this collaboration,” says Hans van der Saag, CEO and founder of BioActor, in a press release. “Mobility is extremely important for the quality of life and a core indicator of healthy aging. These new scientific insights on Bonolive will allow us to expand its applications to mobility targeting products.”

The study was conducted in collaboration with Nestlé Health Science.

Reference

1. Horcajada MN et al. “An oleuropein-based dietary supplement may improve joint functional capacity in older people with high knee joint pain: findings from a multicentre-RCT and post hoc analysis.” Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease, vol. 14 (2022)