Determination of oleanolic acid in human plasma and its association with olive oil intake in healthy Spanish adults within the EPIC Spain cohort study.
Oleanolic acid (OA) is an important triterpenic compound found in olive oil, however little is known about its concentrations in human plasma. We aimed to determine plasma OA levels in a healthy Spanish population and compare them with estimates of dietary olive oil intake.



The final study sample included 141 individuals randomly selected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Spanish cohort. Dietary olive oil intake was estimated using validated dietary history questionnaires. OA concentrations were determined in plasma (from the participants' stored blood samples) using a HPLC-MS method. Correlation coefficients between OA and olive oil intake were calculated, adjusting for center; sex; age; consumption of olives, apples, grapes, and red wine; and fasting state. The mean OA concentration in olive oil nonconsumers was 0.72 ng/mL (SD 0.82), while in the high olive oil intake group it was 1.32 ng/mL (SD 1.14). The fully adjusted partial Spearman correlations coefficients reached 0.36 (p-value < 0.001) overall, varying minimally by sex and fasting state.



This is the first study providing steady-state concentrations of triterpenes in humans. The results show that there was low-to-moderate correlation between OA concentrations and olive oil intake in this population.
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
Genevieve
G
Buckland
Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.|CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Antoni
A
Pastor
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Nursing of Public Health, Mental Health and Maternity and Child Health, School of Nursing, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Leila
L
Lujan-Barroso
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
Carlos Alberto
CA
Gonzalez
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
Noemie
N
Travier
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, BioDonostia Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Pilar
P
Amiano
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Epidemiology, Murcia Regional Health Council, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
José María
JM
Huerta
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
Antonio
A
Agudo
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Epidemiology, Murcia Regional Health Council, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.|Department of Health and Social Sciences, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Carmen
C
Navarro
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Epidemiology, Murcia Regional Health Council, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.|Department of Health and Social Sciences, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
María Dolores
MD
Chirlaque
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Andaluzian School of Public Health, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs, Granada, Spain.
Maria-José
MJ
Sánchez
Andaluzian School of Public Health, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs, Granada, Spain.
Miguel
M
Rodríguez-Barranco
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Epidemiology, Navarra Public Health Institute, Pamplona, Spain.|IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain.
Aurelio
A
Barricarte
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Epidemiology, Navarra Public Health Institute, Pamplona, Spain.|IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain.
Eva
E
Ardanaz
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.|Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, BioDonostia Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Miren
M
Dorronsoro
CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
Amaia
A
Molinuevo
Public Health and Health Planning Directorate, Asturias, Spain.
José Ramón
JR
Quirós
Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.|CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.|Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS), Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
Rafael
R
de la Torre
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D000069463:Olive Oil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013030:Spain
D000069463:Olive Oil; D009828:Oleanolic Acid
Biomarker; EPIC cohort study; Oleanolic acid; Olive oil