Research paper
Beauchamp GK, Keast RSJ, Morel D, Lin J, Pika J, Han Q, Lee CH, Smith AB, Breslin PAS. Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature. 2005 Sep 1;437(7055):45-46. doi:10.1038/437045a
Why we cite it
Landmark short report in *Nature* identifying oleocanthal — a phenolic compound in newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil responsible for its peppery throat-sting — as a natural non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Despite being structurally unrelated to ibuprofen, oleocanthal shows a potency and profile "strikingly similar" to it, acting through the same cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes in the prostaglandin-biosynthesis pathway. Provides the mechanistic basis for extra-virgin olive oil's anti-inflammatory reputation and complements the epidemiological/cardiovascular olive-oil evidence (cmd01, cmd02) already in the library.