Olive lignans, including pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol, are the main phenolic compounds in olive oil. Olive lignans are important lipid concomitants composed of the endogenous antioxidant system of extra virgin olive oil. The biosynthesis and metabolism pathway, content, distribution and stability, absorption and metabolism, antioxidant activity in vitro and bioactivities of olive lignans were reviewed. The problems in the study of olive lignans were put forward, and the future research direction was prospected to provide theoretical guidance for high quality olive oil extraction and research and development of health products related to lignans. |