Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenolic compound that exists naturally in olive branches, leaves, and fruits. A small amount of hydroxytyrosol exists in the free state, while most hydroxytyrosol exists in the form of olivine formed by combining glucose and oleic acid. Olivin is easily degraded in alkaline or acidic environments to obtain hydroxytyrosol.
Hydroxytyrosol has a variety of biological activities, and has a strong antibacterial effect, by destroying the integrity of bacterial cell membranes to inhibit the growth of bacteria, it has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other bacteria. Especially, the inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more obvious but had no significant inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at low concentrations.
Through our general understanding of the action of hydroxytyrosol, we can find that by its antibacterial properties, hydroxytyrosol is mainly used as pharmaceutical raw materials, food additives, and so on.