Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a well-known and appreciated plant in the Mediterranean region and is widely used as a condiment in Mediterranean cuisine.
It provides a delicious aroma to cheese and tomato sauces, combines perfectly with summer vegetables and is used to flavor olives, although if we enjoy cooking, the list of possibilities is endless.
There are many types of oregano, which is sometimes confused with its cousin marjoram (oregano), which is also highly appreciated in Mediterranean cuisine.
Here, we’ll focus on the therapeutic uses of oregano essential oil in aromatherapy. Its infection-fighting properties make it a highly regarded essential oil, but it’s not always easy to use.
Type of oil
In aromatherapy, we can mainly find three different types of oregano essential oil, which come from three different species of the Origanum genus.
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare): widely grown in different regions of Europe, North America and the Middle East.
- Greek Oregano (Origanum heracleoticum): As the name suggests, it comes from Greece, although we also find it in Italy.
- Compact Oregano (Origanum Compactum): Commonly grown in Morocco and Spain.
All of these forms of oregano essential oil—regular, Greek, and compact—have very similar ingredients and all serve the same therapeutic purposes without distinction.
medicinal properties
Oregano essential oil has very special properties. Its main areas of action are all types of infections:
- Respiratory tract infections: angina, bronchitis, sinusitis, rhinitis.
- Digestive tract infection: gastroenteritis.
- Urinary tract and vaginal infections: Candidiasis.
We attribute this use of oregano to the presence of phenols (carvacrol and thymol), which are known in aromatherapy as the “heavy guns” in the fight against infections.
There is a wealth of scientific research supporting this significant and broad range of anti-infectious effects. Oregano essential oil is effective against different bacteria, according to this study from the University of Karachi and another study from the University of Science and Technology, which analyzed the effectiveness of oregano essential oil against more than a hundred Gram-positive bacteria. Huazhong Science and Technology, in Wuhan, China, demonstrated its effectiveness against the bacteria that cause dysentery.
It has also been shown to be effective against parasites and fungi such as candida. Two studies, one from the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and the other from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington (USA), confirm this last action.
How to use oregano essential oil
Oregano essential oil is difficult to use due to the presence of phenols, as carvacrol and thymol are aggressive to the skin and mucous membranes.
We want to avoid using it topically to avoid damaging the skin, as you have to be very careful when using it topically.
For oral use only capsules sold in specialized stores and pharmacies will be used. In this way, we avoid the risk of irritating the digestive mucosa.
Oregano essential oil can be very useful when:
Respiratory tract infection, cystitis, gastroenteritis, infectious diarrhea, or oral infection
Take 2 to 3 capsules of oregano essential oil 3 times daily for 7 days.
Always check with the professional who prescribed or sold you the medication to make sure you are taking the appropriate dose.