Compound From Olive-Pomace Oil Inhibits HIV Spread

Researchers in Madrid are claiming that they have discovered that a type of wax found in olive skin can help to slow the spread of HIV. "Their work shows that maslinic acid - a natural product extracted from dry olive-pomace oil in oil mills - inhibits serin-protease, an enzyme used by HIV to release itself from the infected cell into the extracellular environment and, consequently, to spread the infection into the whole body. These scientists from Granada determined that the use of olive-pomace oil can produce an 80% slowing down in AIDS spreading in the body."

HIV is not AIDs

[MSTCrow5429]

I'm skeptical. The source article, by stating "these scientists from Granada determined that the use of olive-pomace oil can produce an 80% slowing down in AIDS spreading in the body," conflates HIV with AIDs. You can slow down the spread a virus, such as the human immunodeficiency virus, in the body. You cannot slow down the spread of a syndrome, theorized not as caused directly by HIV, but by opportunistic infections as a result of HIV infection, in the body; only said opportunistic infections.

skeptical at best.

[Brigadier]

I'm always skeptical of these third world countries scientific claims of some miracle cure usinging some natrual substance. i recently went to a seminar given by a recruiter for one of the larger universities in the Caribbean. I was flabergasted to hear them making claims of there findings as far as avocado curing aids and other such BS. The fact is though ambitious i'm sure they lack the level of technical abilities and testing proceedure to make a truly scientific claim. Flame me if you want but this is something that I see happen over and over again. In my eyes this is no different than than me testing HIV cultures in show polish containers using coconut oil in unsanitary surroundings.

Correlation

[Brian Cohen]

I noticed that eastern Mediterranean countries that produce a lot of olives [wikipedia.org] have a lower incidence of adult HIV [wikipedia.org]. Not to imply that there is causation, and I know that other factors are at work, but I still found it interesting.

Re:OT: E.V.O.O doesn't mean what she thinks it mea

[spun]

Not just his, but outside the US, everyone's: the first run off from the first pressing of a batch of olives. It contains the purest oil and the least amount of olive solids. The olive solids create acidity, but that is by no means the proper measure of virgin or extra virgin status.

What did you think it meant?

Re:OT: E.V.O.O doesn't mean what she thinks it mea

[Synchis]

As mentioned in a subsequent reply, Extra Virgin Olive Oil refers to the very first Oil taken from the first pressing of olives, and traditionally has nothing to do with the oil's acidity.

In the states (and I presume canada) oils go through processing to remove impurities, kill bacteria, etc... and so whats labelled on a store shelf as extra virgin olive oil, really isn't, in the traditional sense. This is also why most north american olive oils are shipped in clear plastic containers, instead of opaque glass bottles. Traditional EVOO is light sensitive, and should be stored in opaque glass or metal cans to preserve the best flavour.

But yes, frying in EVOO is ridiculous. I use Peanut oil to fry in, and to season my Cast Iron pans (the best non-stick pan you'll ever know). :)

Pickles.

[C10H14N2]

Scandinavia has the lowest rate in the world, Iceland beating everyone save North Dakota, which is populated nearly exclusively by Viking stock. Across Europe, there is a very strong correlation between latitude and HIV infection rates that roughly follows the increasing tendency toward pickling of both sustenance and self.

If anything, it ain't the oil, it's the vinegar.

Re:OT: E.V.O.O doesn't mean what she thinks it mea

[SatanicPuppy]

Yep, everyone before me is right. The only thing I want to add is that there is actually a group that decides what oil actually fits in what categories: the International Olive Oil Council [internatio...iveoil.org]. All IOOC member nations (the US isn't one) have to abide by their standards in labeling olive oils. By their standards, there can be no refined oil in either EVOO or just plain VOO.

Just one more example of the FDA's obsession with pasteurization and processing. What a country...Can't get unpasteurized cheese because it might hurt you, but they don't have to label GM foods or hormone pumped cow products.

Re:OT: E.V.O.O doesn't mean what she thinks it mea

[eiapoce]

By definition by Italian Legal Standards:

Olive Oil = Mixture of refined oils including olive oil - Treatment might include decolouring - deodoring - precipitating acids - adding colours
Extra Virgin Olive Oil = 100% olive oil whith only partial treatment - Infact only filtering is allowed

But I like more greek standars by which every olive oil is "extra virgin" like the italian PLUS they have to state the acidity on the bottle.

You might wonder why acidity is important. Here is a brief explaination: When a mature olive falls it starts decomposing. In the process the fats become acid. Thus olives with a low acidity are those well preserved and processed just at the right time. Oils with hight acidity are usually made from poor grade olives fallen on the ground and then collected with nets or veils to save on manpower.

That's all

Re:Here is why

[dgatwood]

Of all the common viruses, it is one of most deadly and the hardest to cure. It kills millions of people every year. Which other virus is doing that? P

The HPV virus. It has been linked to multiple varieties of cancer, including cervical cancer and various skin cancers. I don't know exact death figures, but they're in the upper tens of thousands, I believe, and were it not for early detection and advanced cancer treatments, would also be measured in millions of deaths per year.

Not saying HIV isn't important. It definitely is, if only because the virus is so insidious in the way it uses the immune system as a delivery mechanism. However, it's a stretch to say that it is dramatically more important than other viruses with more common delivery mechanisms---they're all pretty important, IMHO. What we should be focusing on, IMHO, is disrupting the infection mechanisms used by viruses and in so doing, creating more broad spectrum antiviral medications. As such, this article probably represents a step in the right direction. It would be interesting to see whether this substance has any similar effects on other viruses.

Re:OT: E.V.O.O doesn't mean what she thinks it mea

[binarybum]

Try grapeseed oil - can get it at your local asian market, has a very high smoke point, it's quite healthy, and imparts very little flavor - but just enough to taste in something very mild like tofu - and it tastes good!

Re:Pickles.

[moosesocks]

Which is interesting, because you'd tend to think that descendants of Northern cultures would have weaker immune systems, given the fact that viruses tend to thrive in warmer climates.