Oil Of Oregano Rivals
Modern Antibiotic Drugs
Oil
pressed from oregano leaves that contain the active ingredient carvacrol
may be an effective treatment against sometimes drug-resistant bacterial
infection. Georgetown University researchers have found that oil
of oregano appears to reduce infection "as effectively as traditional
antibiotics."
Oil
of oregano at relatively low doses was found to be efficacious against
Staphylococcus bacteria and was comparable in its germ-killing properties
to antibiotic drugs such as streptomycin, pencillin and vancomycin.
[Science Daily 10/11/2001] The findings were presented by
Harry G. Preuss, MD, professor of physicology and biophysics, Georgetown
University, at the American College of Nutrition'a annual meeting
in Orlando, Florida. The oregano oil was obtained from North American
Herb and Spice Company, a Waukeegan, Illinois company that sponsored
the study and markets their non-prescription products in retail
stores un the trade names Oregamax and Oregacyn.
Earlier
this year researchers at the Department of Food Science at the University
of Tennessee reported that, among various plant oils, oil of oregano
exhibited the greatest antibacterial action against common pathogenic
germs such as Staph, E. coli and Listeria. [Journal Food Protection,
Volume 64, July 2001] Last year British researchers reported oregano
oil had antibacterial activity against 25 different bacteria. [Journal
Applied Microbiology, Volume 88, February 2000] A clinical study
in Italy has shown that oil of oregano can be used to treat intestinal
parasites. [Phytotherapy Research, Volume 14, May 2000]
The
body of positive evidence for oregano oil as a major antibiotic
is growing. Among 52 plant oils tested, oregano was considered to
have "pharmacologic" action against common bugs such as Candida
albicans (yeast), E. coli, Salmonella enterica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
[Journal Applied Microbiology, volume 86, June 1999] Pseudomonas
is a type of germ that is getting more difficult to treat as it
has developed strains that are resistant against antibiotic drugs.
Of
recent interest are reports showing that carvacrol from oil of oregano
kills spores, such as Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis (anthrax).
[Archives Microbiology, Volume 174, October 2000; Quarterly
Review Biology, Volume 73, March 1998] Bacillus cereus is considered
to be from the same species as Bacillus anthracis (anthrax). [Applied
Environmental Microbiology, Volume 66, June 2000] In tests of antibiotics
and antiseptics, Bacillus cereus is often used in studies in lieu
of the anthrax strain. [University of Michigan News & Information
Service, Sept. 23, 1998]
Oil
of oregano is not to be confused with common oregano in the kitchen
spice cupboard, which is usually marjoram (Origanum majorana or
O. vulgare) rather than true oregano (Origanum vulgare).
The
growing problem of antibiotic resistance has health authorities
concerned. Already various germs are showing resistance to vancomycin,
particularly to intestinal bacteria (Enterococcal species) among
hospitalized patients. [Southern Medical Journal, Volume
94, August 2001] Vancomycin is considered to be the most potent
antibiotic available and is withheld from use as a drug of last
resort. Vancomycin costs about $16 per pill versus about $1 for
the purest-strength oregano oil. Drug resistance does not develop
against naturally-occuring antibiotics such as garlic and oil of
oregano.
October
13, 2001
Bill
Sardi [send him mail] is a health
journalist at www.askbillsardi.com.
This one I can attest to. Oil of oregano is extremely potent. When I feel like I'm coming down with something, usually all I have to do is open the bottle and sniff it. And by the way, this is one of the VERY FEW essential oils I will do this with.
Oregano oil is available in gel caps as well as bottled. Taking it internally is a heavy-hitter against bacterial infection. Again, this is one of VERY FEW essential oils that should be taken internally, and then use with caution.
Other essential oils that are useful in killing bacteria are lavender, tea tree and peppermint.
Always remember that botanical oils are extremely potent, potentially toxic, and most are not safe to put directly on the skin.
8-D
to make a long story short, in the early 90's I was diagnosed with asthma after a strep infection that simply would not clear with allopathic meds. 3 courses of the strongest oral antibiotics out there (I'm allergic to sulfa's and pcn's) and massive doses of prednisone, I was put on a ventilator to breathe (seriously one of the most frightening times of my life.) After a few days I was able to come off the vent, but still wasnt breathing well. I had bronchospasm (violent coughing), oral and vag candidal infections and even fungal skin rash from the allopathic attempts at 'healing'. The meds wreaked havoc on my immune system.
In desperation and frustration, after much prayer, meditation and asking for help I ran across a discussion of Oil of Oregano and it's usefulness with chronic bronchitis. I began taking Gaia herbs brand Oil of Oregano caps (the only brand I'll use) 2 caps twice a day and making a 'tea' with an additional cap and breathing the steam from it.
Within two weeks, ALL my symptoms were gone, including the 'asthmatic wheeze'. At one point, I was on 8 allopathic medications and none of them did for me what this simple herb could. Don't be fooled by brands that are caps of clear liquid, you need to find something like Gaia brand, green sludgy odorous lovely stuff that it is!!
Now, like Dave states, I take it at the first sign of a cough/cold or illness, and I have never had a relapse of what allopathic doc's said was a 'chronic lifelong condition'. Namaste, kristyne
This one I found out about ten years ago by attending my son's Junior High Science Fair. One student had as their project a test of oil of oregano against a few other "heavy-hitter" anti-biotics. From looking at the petri dishes on display, it was quite clear- oil of oregano was the winner by a clear margin. (Forgive me, but I don't remember the specifics- like exactly which anti-biotics were used, or which infecting organism was being destroyed- it was long ago!) Like so many marvelous things- this was clearly, scientifically proven- by a child. Of course, it does not bring any profits to Big Pharma, so instead of trumpeting the news to everyone, the project is relegated to a few hours on the display table at the gym, an A from the teacher, and the memories of those few who actually paid some attention as they passed it by. This happened, by the way, in the same small town that a few years later produced H. Mason Hedberg. For his high school science fair project, Mason developed a method of testing plants for specific anti-cancer properties- a process that used to take days for each species- that reduced the testing time to a matter of minutes. He won all kinds of national recognition for that- big scholarships, etc.- and went to Brown University to study medicine. Someday we will live in a world where both those kids would be recognized for their contributions to the health of their fellow humans...
Love, Deb
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