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Oregano – do we know everything about it?
herbs are a good that has been valued for centuries. They have been and are used in various cultures. Nowadays, only tribes that do not have access to modern medicine still actively use the plants present in their environment. Local shamans can use them to prepare a “magic potion” for almost any ailment. In the scientific community, the anti-microbial activity of herbs is gradually being confirmed thanks to scientific research conducted around the world. The topic of herbal medicine is very popular.
There are many publications on the antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and anticancer properties of various plants. Many universities conduct research proving their effectiveness. Scientists are constantly looking for alternatives to synthetic compounds that would inhibit the growth of microorganisms, have fewer side effects and be cheaper to produce. Despite the enormous development of medicine and pharmacy in recent years, the strategies used to treat bacterial, fungal and viral diseases are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, substances of plant origin are currently being considered as potentially very promising therapeutics in the treatment (and prevention) of many infectious diseases.
Oregano – a spice and more
Listing spice plants o the strongest antimicrobial properties, Due to the presence of active substances, especially oils, oregano should be mentioned. Although we probably associate this herb mainly with an addition to Mediterranean dishes and as an ingredient of the well-known Provençal seasoning or simply pizza. However, the oil and extracts from this plant have a known disinfectant and expectorant effect. They are used for rinsing the mouth and throat, inhaling the upper respiratory tract in case of inflammation and for therapeutic baths.
Oregano is also used to improve digestion and also has choleretic properties. In some parts of the world, it is used to treat menstrual irregularities, various pains (sciatica, headaches, toothache, muscle pain, cancer pain), colds, flu, rheumatism, liver and kidney problems, and tonsillitis. It is used externally, e.g. for bites and wounds. In Chinese medicine, Oregano Oil is a remedy for colds, vomiting, jaundice, dysentery and malnutrition in childhood. The oil is also supposedly used to kill lice, and in homeopathy it is considered an aphrodisiac.
Composition of oregano oil and valuable Carvacrol.
Oregano, also known as Oregano, has a pleasant spicy-herbal scent. Therefore, it has long been valued for its aromatic properties in the kitchen. Due to the content of essential oils, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, organic acids and mineral compounds, it has extensive healing properties, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Many of oregano’s medicinal effects have been supported by in vitro and animal studies or tests with isolated oregano extracts and chemicals. The main biologically active substance is the oil, and its main ingredients are thymol and carvacrol, and sabinene and sabinene cis-hydrate, germacrene D, ß-caryophyllene, terpinen-4-ol. This is one of the reasons why oregano has strong properties antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and antimicrobial. Oregano oil also has antiviral and insecticidal properties. There is also limited scientific evidence that the oil has anti-cancer, sedative, diuretic, diaphoretic, analgesic and digestive properties.
The mentioned carvacrol has properties antibacterial and antifungal. And together with the thymol contained in oregano, they inhibit the growth of bacteria and can support the natural preservation of food. Natural oregano oil extracts may contain hundreds of different additional natural chemical ingredients, including linalool, gamma terpinene, p-cymene and terpinen-4-ol (with antibacterial properties). Terpinen-4-ol protects, for example, tea tree against putrefaction. These additional substances additionally influence the beneficial healing properties of the plant. The amount of compounds contained depends primarily on the species, type of crops and the production of the finished product.
It’s worth knowing…
The aroma of oregano is influenced by two basic chemical substances, namely carvacrol and sabinene. Carvacrol is largely responsible for the sharp and pungent taste of oregano. As you can see, valuable carvacrol is a volatile substance and it is impossible to find large amounts of it, e.g. in dried herbs or spices. Its best source will be appropriate natural extracts of oregano oil, especially those standardized for the content of this compound
Oregano and mycoses and other microbes – Research
Scientific research by the group of Sahin et al. [2004] prove that oregano oil has antimicrobial activity against 15 strains of bacteria and 15 species of pathogenic fungi. Additionally, research by Hussain et al [2011] show that in addition to antibacterial and anticancer properties, it also has antimalarial activity. Other data have shown that oregano oil even has an inhibitory effect on the growth of multi-resistant strains such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, and also has antifungal properties. [Penalver i in. 2005, Bozin i in. 2006].
Other studies (Lamberta et al. 2001) also show that the main ingredients of oregano oil inhibit the growth of bacteria such as P. aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus. However, other scientists [Albado i in. 2001] prove that marjoram oil has antimicrobial activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
In tests comparing the antibacterial and antifungal activity of essential oils obtained from basil, thyme and oregano, it turned out that oregano oil was the most effective and active. In addition to its antifungal activity (e.g. against Candida spp.), common marjoram also has documented antiparasitic activity (Cleff et al. 2010, Santoro et al. 2007). It is suggested that due to its valuable antibacterial and antioxidant properties, oregano oil may be used in the future as a natural food preservative, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. For example, according to research published in March 2003, oregano oil delays the spoilage of freshly pulled Asian sea bass, inhibiting bacterial growth and extending shelf life up to 33 days.
Scientific analyzes indicate that the antimicrobial activity of marjoram is strongly related to the presence of thymol and carvacrol, which is why the best source for its use is oregano extract/oil.
Mechanism of action of carvacrol contained in oregano oil
Modern scientific research allows us to confirm the healing effects of various essential oils, thanks to the rapid development of analytical methods. Their different mechanisms of action are also being discovered. One of the characteristic features of oils is that they may contain a dozen or several dozen different compounds with different concentrations and properties. This richness causes essential oils to have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, as well as anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating properties, increasing our natural resistance to infections.
Terpene compounds obtained from essential oils are substances with high lipophilicity, which allows them to easily penetrate the cell wall and membrane of various undesirable microorganisms, leading to disruption of the integrity of their structures. One of the suggested mechanisms of toxicity is an increase in the permeability of the cell membrane, which in turn leads to excessive loss of ions (hydrogen and potassium). Another mechanism of action of essential oils or their terpenoid components is the coagulation of the bacterial cytoplasm. Both of these processes ultimately lead to the death of the bacteria.
The toxic effect of oils in vitro was observed to a greater extent on many types of Gram-positive bacteria, and to a lesser extent on Gram-negative bacteria, which is probably related to slight differences in the structure of their cell walls.
Oregano oil has a bactericidal effect against strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which are capable of forming biofilms. It is believed that the presence of carvacrol and thymol inhibits the formation of a biofilm that protects bacteria, which may directly affect microbial cells according to the previously described mechanisms. Very interesting is the scant information suggesting antiviral activity against pathogens causing hemorrhagic fevers. It has been noticed that oregano oil has activity against the yellow fever virus.
Oregano oil and plant species
It is important that not all oregano oil has the same medicinal properties. Research conducted on plants obtained in different parts of the world shows significant differences in the carvacrol content and chemical composition of oregano oil depending on environmental, genetic and ontogenetic factors. This is especially important when using the oil’s healing properties in medicine. The greatest differences were found in the content of two phenols: carvacrol and thymol.
The appropriate amount of these components in the oil can increase the antimicrobial effectiveness of the preparation. Therefore, the quality and composition of the oregano oil we use is important. It is worth choosing natural extracts that do not contain alcohol, standardized to the guaranteed amount of carvacrol contained in one dose.
SELECTED LITERATURE.
- Baricevic, Dea and Tomaz Bartol. 2002. The biological/pharmacological activity of the Origanum genus. In Oregano: the genus Origanum and Lippia. Edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios. London: Taylor & Francis. (HSA Library)
- Gruenwald, Joerg, Thomas Brendler and Christof Jaenicke, eds. 2000. PDR for herbal medicines. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics. (HSA Library) 16. Bown, Deni. 2001. The Herb Society of America new encyclopedia of herbs & their uses. New York: DK. 36. Duke, James A. 2002. Handbook of medicinal herbs. Boca Raton: CRC Press. (HSA Library)
- Makinen, Seija Marjatta and Kirsti Kaarina Paakkonen. 2002. Processing, effects and use of oregano and marjoram in foodstuffs and in food preparation. In Oregano: the genus Origanum and Lippia. Edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios. London: Taylor & Francis. (HSA Library) 62. Kokkini, Stella. 1997. Taxonomy, diversity and distribution of Origanum species. In Oregano: proceedings of the IPGRI international workshop on oregano 8-12 May 1996, CIHEAM, Valenzano (Bari), Italy. Edited by S. Padulosi. Rome: International Plant Genetic Resources Institute.
- Nostro A., Blanco AR, Cannatelli MA, Enea V., Flamini G., Morelli I., Roccaro AS, Alonzo V., 2004. Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci to oregano essential oil, carvacrol and thymol. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 230(2), 191–197.
- and others… Full bibliography available from the author of the publication
