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Oregano Herb - Health Benefits, Uses And Side Effects

Oregano, also known as wild marjoram , is an aromatic, spicy Mediterranean herb sold as fresh sprigs or chopped dried leaves.The ancient Greeks crowned newlyweds with oregano and planted the herb on graves. Other ancient civilizations used oregano as a remedy for narcotic poisoning and seizures. Now, it's widely used as a spice and food preservative.

A coarse plant, oregano (Origanum vulgare) has sprawling stems, pink or white flowers, and a balsamic aroma. A member of the mint family, it's closely related to the spice marjoram (0. majorana).

The oregano plant can grow horizontally up to 2 ½ feet tall with pungent leaves. The flowers grow in clusters at the end of shoots and bloom in June. Wild oregano flowers are purple in color while Greek oregano has white flowers. The Mexican oregano is more pungent than the Mediterranean variety and is a shrub like plant that can grow to a height of 7 feet. Oregano became popular in America when the pizza craze caught on.

This herb has a pungent smell and taste. It is a perennial plant in warm climates and in the north it is an annual. The leaves contain essential oil called origanum oil.

Common doses of Oregano

• capsules (450 milligrams)
• oil (0.45 fluid ounces)
• a spice

Some experts recommend the following doses:

• As a dietary supplement, 2 capsules taken orally once or twice daily, preferably with meals.
• As an oil, add a few drops to milk or juice.
• For topical use, apply oregano oil directly to the affected body area once or twice daily.
• As a shampoo, add a small amount of oregano oil to commercial shampoo. Leave it on your hair for a few minutes before rinsing.
• As an antiseptic cleanser, add to liquid soaps and use when showering and washing your hands.

Uses of Oregano herb

Oregano is a widely used herb in folk remedies and cooking.  Oregano helps to settle flatulence and stimulates the flow of bile.  As a stimulating diaphoretic it is often used in the treatment of colds and flu, its use here being similar to that of hyssop. It also contains further essential oils which make it very much more antiseptic in action, both internally and externally. Specifically, oregano may help to :-

• For antioxidant effects
• Infections
• To induce sweating
• Headaches
• To stimnulate menstuation

Oregano is used in many dishes besides pizza. It is used in meat, liver and kidney dishes, salads, stuffings. Oregano is also used to soups, vegetable dishes and scrambled eggs, pasta sauces.

Side effects of Oregano

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of oregano:

• difficulty breathing, speaking, or swallowing
• facial swelling
• itching

The side effects listed above indicate a serious allergic reaction to oregano that demand immediate medical treatment.

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you're taking, especially iron supplements.

Important points to remember

• Don't use oregano if you've had an allergic reaction to it or to other herbs in the same family, such as thyme, hyssop, basil, marjoram, mint, and sage.
• If you develop a rash or skin irritation while using oregano, discontinue it at once.
• If you have iron-deficiency anemia, consult your health care practitioner before using oregano.
• Don't use oregano within 2 hours before or after taking an iron supplement or eating foods high in iron.

What the research shows

Oregano shows some antiseptic, antifungal, and antioxidant effects. However, studies on people haven't been done, so medical experts recommend against using oregano for these effects.

Other names for Oregano

Other names for oregano include mountain mint, origanum, and wild marjoram.

Products containing oregano are sold under such names as Oil of Oregano, Oregamax, and Oregano.