The olive is a small evergreen tree native to Mediterranean regions, but naturalized to climates as varied as those of Australia, California, and Texas. The well-known green to blue-black fruit of this tree yields a useful, edible oil. Both the oil and the dried green-grayish colored leaves are used in herbal medicine.

The green-grayish leaves have been used medicinally for centuries.

Olive leaf extract is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. The leaves contain an active compound called oleuropein, which has been shown to have an impact against infectious and virulent microbes.

A powerful antiviral, olive leaf is said to be effective against even antibiotic resistant bacteria, yeast strains and fungi.

Olive leaf teas have been used for thousands of years to lower fevers, and olive leaf poultices are among the oldest therapies for infections of the skin.

Olive leaf is associated with a variety of modern medical claims, some of them backed up with scientific evidence:

Antibacterial effects.

Elenoic acid from olives is known to be antibacterial (killing both infectious and helpful bacteria), but the elenoic acid in olive leaf may be broken down in the process of making the tea. Olive leaf poultices may heal skin by encouraging circulation rather than by killing bacteria.