References

De Souza, E.L., de Barros, J. C., de Oliveira, C. E. V., and da Conceicao, M. L. (2010). Influence of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil on enterotoxin production, membrane permeabliltiy and surface characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 137: 308-311.

 

Herbalpedia. Oregano. Retrived November 27, 2010, from http://www.herbnet.com/wild%20marjoram.pdf.

 

It’s Nature Let’s Discover!. Oregano. (2010) Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.itsnature.org/plant_life/vegetation-plants/oregano/.

 

Joy of the Mountains The Oregano Company. Discover for Yourself Nature’s Most Powerful & Versatile Herbal Remedy. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.joyofthemountains.com/Products.html (Note: Hardcopy pamphlet was also used).

 

Mechergui, K., Coelho, J. A., Serra, M. C., Lamine, S. B., Boukhchina, S., and Khouja, M. L. (2010). Essential Oils of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. glandulosum (Desf.) letswaart from Tunisia: chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 90: 1745-1749.

 

Rivera, G. , Bocanegra-García, V. and Monge, A. (2010) . Traditional plants as source of functional foods: a review. CyTA - Journal of Food, 8(2), 159-167.

Tonk, F. A., Yu¨ce, S., Bayram, E., Giachino, R. R. A., So¨nmez, C, Telci, I., and Furan, M. A. (2010). Plant systematics and evolution, 288: 157-165.

 

Scribd. Oregano. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/20037953/Oregano-Brief-History-Mythology-Origanum-Vulgare-is-a-Member.

 

Watching Nutrition: Information for a Healthy life. Medical use of Oregano from history. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.watchingnutrition.com/2008/02/nutrition/medical-use-of-oregano-from-history/.

Wild Oil of Oregano. Benefits of Wild Oregano Oil, Wild Oil of Oregano's Many Uses. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.oiloforegano.com/.

 

Just in case: Side-effects and Cautions

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There are no known drug interactions with Origanum vulgare, and it has been noted that it is compatible with other natural remedies and prescription drugs (Wild Oil of Oregano, 2010).  However it is possible that individuals who use oregano may present with allergies. For individuals with sensitive skin, direct application of oil of oregano to the skin can cause irritation and/or rash (Joy of the Mountain Oil, 2010). 

 

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Furthermore, many manufacturers of oil of oregano caution, that due to its potency in concentrated form, oil of oregano should be diluted as instructed by the label when applying to sensitive or mucosal areas (Joy of the Mountain Oil, 2010). For example the Joy of the Mountain Oil of Oregano brand recommends a 1:2, 1:3 or 1:4 dilution with olive oil when applying oil of oregano to genital areas or inside the nostrils. Manufacturers also caution that infants under 6 months and pregnant or nursing mothers should not use oil of oregano, both orally and applied externally (Joy of the Mountain Oil, 2010).

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Oregano: What the Science Says

Today oregano is used in oil extract form to treat multiple ailments. As a result of its antimicrobial properties oil of oregano is commonly used to treat cold and flu infections. Furthermore, it continues to be used externally to treat sore muscles and joints (Wild Oil of Oregano, 2010). Other external applications of oil of oregano take advantage of its antiseptic properties to treat wounds, burns, cuts, and resulting infections (Joy of the Mountains, 2010). It can also treat fungal infections like athletes foot (Wild Oil of Oregano, 2010). Although oil of oregano and other oregano preparations continue to be used to treat the aforementioned ailments, the focus of modern research has shifted to further consider the preventative properties of the herb.

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Bacteria  Beware!

Most recently the uses of essential oils like oregano have been considered as food preservatives to prevent the development of foodborne bacteria. Bacteria such as S.aureus, salmonella typhimurium and E.coli, can cause various foodborne illnesses in humans upon ingestion.  Souza et al. (2010) demonstrate that Origanum vulgare essential oil extract is effective at inhibiting the growth of S.aureus bacteria. The extract is also able to suppress the synthesis of enterotoxins, protein toxins that cause food poisoning, by the S.aureus cell.  They conduct an experiment to examine the growth of a test strain S.aureus in the presence of oregano extract. An assay of enterotoxin production was run using a control culture, a culture grown with 0.5 µL/mL or 0.15 µL/mL concentrations of oil of oregano. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy was used to determine cell morphology in the three cultures. The results indicated that, at both concentrations, oil of oregano inhibited the production of enterotoxins by the S.aureus bacteria. On the other hand, the control assay was positive for enterotoxin production. Scanning electron microscopy determined that the oregano extract disrupted the cell structure of the S.aureus bacteria. The results of the study are significant because they determine that exposure of S.aureus cells to Origanum vulgare oil disrupts the cell membrane causing cytoplasmic leakage, thus killing the bacteria. The results also demonstrate that the active compounds of oil of oregano disrupt cellular mechanisms to suppress enterotoxin synthesis. These findings are proof positive that Origanum vulgare essential oil could be an effective candidate for use as an antimicrobial food preservative.

Magical Oregano: Free Radicals Vanish

Perhaps one of the most groundbreaking discovers related to oregano are its antioxidant properties. Reactive oxygen species in the body cause a variety of disease. Oregano is of interest to the food industry because it presents a natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants. Merchergui et al. (2010) conduct an experiment to evaluate the antioxidant activity of oil of oregano extracts from different locations in Tunisia. Gas chromatography analysis was performed to determine the percent composition of the oil extract. Next a phenol assay was conducted to determine the total phenol content of each extract sample. Finally, the antiradical activity of the oregano extract was determine using a 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryhydrazil radical assay. It was determined that the observed antioxidant activity of the extract was due to the presence of thymol and carvacrol. The findings of this study were relevant because they establish that in a comparison of oregano extracts from different regions of Tunisia demonstrated that samples of higher level of phenolic compounds, specifically thymol and carvacrol as found in oregano, acted as more powerful antioxidants, trapping free radicals.

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It is important to realize that both studies used solid methodologies. They demonstrate that oregano may be a practical solution to the problems associate with synthetic food preservatives and antioxidants. Oregano is likely to provide a suitable natural alternative as it has been found to be effective at reasonable concentration. Furthermore, one must note that in both studies it is specified that the leaves of the oregano plant were used to develop the essential oil extract. This is significant because as previously noted, the leaves of the oregano plant contain both romarinic and caffeic acid and therefore include the active compounds of oregano, thymol and carvacrol.

Active Components: Flavorful and Powerful

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Today, the most common form of medicinal oregano is essential oil extract. Oil of oregano can be applied externally, either directly to the skin, teeth and gums, or as a compound of soaps (Wild Oil of Oregano, 2010). Furthermore, it can be ingested orally, either direct drops under the tongue or diluted in water.   

The main active compounds in oregano extract are two phenols, carvacrol and thymol (Rivera, Bocanegra-García and Monge, 2010). These are derived from rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid other, other important components of the herb (Rivera, Bocanegra-García and Monge, 2010). It is important to note that although rosmarinic acid is present in both the leaves and the plant itself, caffeic acid is only present in the plant. This is important because rosmarinic and caffeic are responsible for the antioxidant properties of oregano (Rivera, Bocanegra-García and Monge, 2010). The phenolic structure of carvacrol and thymol are responsible for their antimicrobial activity (Rivera, Bocanegra-García and Monge, 2010). Both carvacol and thymol inhibit bacterial growth by disrupting the bacterial membrane, specifically Gram-negative microorganisms (Rivera, Bocanegra-García and Monge, 2010). What’s more, carvacrol is also the compound that gives oregano its warm, pungent aroma and flavor (Tonk et al, 2009). On the other hand, thymol also has potent antiseptic properties.  Interestingly, thymol is the active compound in another common culinary herb, thyme.

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 FUN FACT: Thymol is the active ingredient in Listerine® mouthwash. 

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