Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in the Treatment of Traumatic Ulcers Case Report

In a particular geographical area of southern Italy (BT, Puglia) a particular type of extra virgin olive oil(EVOO) is produced from the "Coratina" [1] cultivar very rich in polyphenols and biocompounds , and it has been custom since the last century for inhabitants to use it for the treatment of various pathologies, including burns, trauma, inflammatory cheilitis of various kinds. However, despite its extensive use, no scientific studies have been proposed, although numerous studies on olive oil have demonstrated its remarkable effectiveness in healing wounds following skin burns [2,3,4,5,6], in healing foot wounds in diabetic patients [5]. In bedsores with progress this practice has gradually disappeared and almost forgotten. In addition, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an essential food of the Mediterranean diet (MD) and countries in the Mediterranean area such as Spain, Italy and Greece represent the most important producers in the world. As documented by numerous studies published in recent decades, most of the beneficial effects of the MD on promoting human health can be attributed to EVOO [7]. Consumption of olive oil is able to reduce lipid and DNA oxidation, improve the lipid profile and insulin resistance , endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients and change the response of the immune system [8,9]. Precisely for the antiinflammatory power that the oil possesses and for the traditions handed down by our ancestors, we decided to use EVOO as therapy in the treatment of a lesion of the mucous membrane in patient wearing prostheses on implants.