Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaves come from the olive tree ( Olea europae ), a native of the Mediterranean. Although olives and olive oil are used as foods, olive leaf is primarily used medicinally or as a tea. Laboratory studies indicate that olive leaf may be beneficial as an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, or antioxidant.  In the Middle East, olive leaf tea has been used for centuries to treat sore throat, coughs, fevers, high blood pressure, cystitis (bladder infection), and gout (foot inflammation), and to improve general health. 
 
Olive leaf poultices have been applied to the skin to treat dermatological conditions, such as boils, rashes, and warts. Olive leaves and its extracts are used in the complementary and alternative medicine community for the presumed ability to act as a natural pathogen killer by inhibiting the replication process of many pathogens.  Olive leaf is commonly used to fight colds and flu, yeast infections, and viral infections.  Olive leaf has been shown to reduce low[1]density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol. Re[1]searchers have found that olive leaf lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow by relaxing the arteries.
 
Olive leaf has antioxidant properties that help protect the body from the continuous activity of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, when oxidized, can cause cellular damage if left unchecked. Some recent research on the olive leaf has shown its antioxidants to be effective in treating some tumors and cancers such as liver, prostate, and breast cancer but the research on this is preliminary. Olive leaf is especially potent when used in combination with other antioxidants.  We recommend that you reach for Olive Leaf Ex[1]tract whenever you would normally use an antibiotic.
 
There are three forms of Olive Leaf extract available for use in animals.  We prefer extracts as we feel they are easier to dose in animals.  Herbal extracts are available in 20 or 50% alcohol. The alcohol acts as a local vasodilator to help aid absorption of the herb from the gut. The usual human dose is 10 drops 3 times daily. The recommend dose for a horse would be 20 drops for maintenance or 30 drops in an acute form of viremia. Depending on the size of the dog give 1/2 to 1/4 of the human dose.
 
* Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated