What is a natural supplement for healthy bones?

Elaeagnus angustifolia, commonly known as Russian olive, Persian olive, oleaster or Senjed, has been a popular fruit among Persian people since ancient times. It has been part of the Norouz festival since ancient times. It is well known as a supplement for healthy bones. This property and some others are confirmed by food analysis. We rely on traditional medicine experiments for other properties. Here, we explain some of the properties.

Health of bones and joints

Today many people suffer from bone problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. They are becoming a horrible nightmare, especially for women. Osteoporosis is the fourth leading cause of death in the world, affecting one in four people over 25 years old. Senjed components are effective for such problems. It has calcium and vitamin K which are essential for bone health [1] [2]. Mixing Russian olive powder with milk is one of the treatments mentioned in traditional medicine. Since milk contains vitamin D, this sweet combination benefits joints and reduces pain.

According to some studies, Russian olive contains anti-inflammatory ingredients that reduce pain and inflammation among arthritis sufferers [4] [5].

Antioxidants in Senjed

Russian olive’s beneficial effects can be attributed to its phytochemical compounds with antioxidant properties, as mentioned in [6]. These compounds control oxidative stress derived from excessive free radical production. Oxidative stress can damage biological macromolecules. This may trigger many human diseases including cancers, diabetes, autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lopus…), cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This fruit is rich in Vitamin C, phenols and flavonoids, which are most concentrated in the seed.

Gastrointestinal [GI] healing

This fruit treats GI tract diseases such as peptic ulcers and colitis [1]. Persian sages believe Russian olive cleanses the GI tract and cures diarrhea. Due to its high antioxidant properties, it is capable of removing toxins from the stomach and intestines with vitamin K.

Wound healing effects

Dried Senjed leaves have been used to control bleeding and accelerate wound healing. Researchers have found that after applying the fruit extract to the wound area, hydroxyproline, one of the factors influencing collagen synthesis, increased in the tissues [7].

Women’s health

The blossoms of the Russian olive and its fruit are effective for fertilizing. There are some guidelines to treat fertilization problems in the traditional medicine of Iran. Since experts must prescribe according to the patients problem, we do not refer to the guideline.

  • Over consumption causes constipation, indigestion, gastric infections, pulmonary embolism.

  • During pregnancy, consume moderate amounts.

References

[1] R. Hamidpour, S. Hamidpour, M. Hamidpour et al. “Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.): From a variety of traditional medicinal applications to its novel roles as active antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and analgesic agent” , Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2017, Pages 24-29. [2] Z. Amiri Tehranizadeh, A. Baratian and H. Hosseinzadeh, “Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) as a herbal healer,” Bioimpacts. 2016; 6(3): 155–167. Published online 2016 Sep 24. doi: 10.15171/bi.2016.22 [3] H. Al-Tabarasi, “Makarim Al-Akhlaq”, page 176, 11th century. [4] Y. Panahi, Gh. H. Alishiri, N. Bayat et al. “Efficacy of Elaeagnus Angustifolia extract in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial,” EXCLI J. 2016; 15: 203–210. Published online 2016 Mar 2. doi: 10.17179/excli2015-639 [5] Z. Nikniaza, A. Ostadrahimi, R. Mahdavi and et al, “Effects of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. supplementation on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in females with knee osteoarthritis,” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Volume 22, Issue 5, October 2014, Pages 864-869 [6] S. Faramarz, G. Dehghan and A. Jahanban-Esfahlan, “Antioxidants in different parts of oleaster as a function of genotype,” Bioimpacts. 2015; 5(2): 79–85. Published online 2015 Apr 15. doi: 10.15171/bi.2015.09 [7] M.M. Natanzi, P. Pasalar, M. Kamalinejad, et al. “Effect of aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit on experimental cutaneous wound healing in rats” Acta Medica Iran, 50 (2012), pp. 589-596