Resumen
The invention relates to a method of obtaining high-value-added compounds from olive leaves. The inventive method comprises the following steps, namely: a first step in which the leaves are subjected to solid-liquid extraction with organic solvents, preferably hexane or ethanol, and the crude extract thus obtained is vacuum concentrated and a second step in which the crude extract is fractionated by means of supercritical CO2 countercurrent column extraction and separation into two cells with different fixed pressure and/or temperature conditions which alter the dissolving power of the CO2, thereby precipitating different compounds. The invention can be used to extract natural products of interest from olive leaves for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, such as waxes, squalene, beta -carotene, alpha -tocopherol, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and other phenolic compounds, beta -sitosterol, alpha - and beta -amyrin, erythrodiol, uvaol and other terpenic alcohols, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and maslinic acid, among others.