Bioavailability Assays of Oleanolic Acid, Formulated as Functional Olive Oil, in Healthy Subjects. Pharmacokinetic Analysis and Study of Its Integration in Postprandial Human Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins

Design and implementation of the biovailability assays The study of oral bioavailability of Oleanolic acid (OA) when formulated as functional olive oil, and its mechanisms of systemic transport, will be approached by mean of a postprandial intervention with 20 healthy volunteers.

The participants will be recruited after the complete biochemical and hematological analysis yield results within normal limits, and after checking in their electronic medical histories that they do not suffer from digestive, metabolic or oncologic disorders or any other pathology that, in opinion of the clinical investigators, could prevent them from participating in the trial. For their inclusion in the trial, it is also required that they grant the written consent to the protocols approved by the Institutional Committees for Human Research, after being conveniently informed both orally and documentally.

The fieldwork will be performed in the Day Hospital of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the University Hospitals 'Virgen del Rocio' from Seville (SPAIN).

Sample size. The main quantitative variable to be examined in this trial is OA serum concentration. In the absence of consistent baseline data published so far, data from the analysis of OA in sera of the PREDIABOLE Study (ISRCTN03372660) have been used. A cohort of 25 participants from the control group, consuming commercial olive oil, was selected, and an average baseline concentration of 155 ± 72 ng OA/mL was determined. Considering this, it is now postulated that the plasma OA content will increase by at least 50% as consequence of the intake of the functional olive oil (equivalent dose 30 mg OA). To prove this unilateral hypothesis test, with a confidence level of 90% (risk α=0.01, zα=1.645) and a power of 95% (zβ=1.645), a sample size of at least 17 volunteers is required. Assuming that losses lower than 15% are tolerable, the adjusted sample size would be 20 subjects.

Anamnesis and physical examination of participants. The anamnesis will include vital data and general history collecting all the symptoms that the individual may present, their medical and surgical history, as well as pharmacological treatments followed. Information about lifestyle, perception of the own body image, diet and kind and intensity of physical activity will be also obtained. In addition, the muscle mass, fatty compartment (adipose panniculus), existence of edema, etc. will be examined. Likewise, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate will be determined.