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The lead-in to a November 19, 2001 post on the Federal Trade Commission Web site states, “The Federal Trade Commission is warning Web site operators who suggest using such things as oregano oil or zinc mineral water to treat illnesses like anthrax that it is aware of no scientific proof for such claims and that the Web site operators must remove them from the Internet.”
Having read the posts concerning oregano oil and anthrax, I have to agree with the FTC. But perhaps the time has come to supercede the drug lobbyists and publicly fund scientific research on the use of oil of oregano with infectious diseases such as anthrax. Oil of oregano is a proven antibiotic. In fact, in 1977, at the Second International Congress of Phytotherapy and Aromatherapy in Monaco, a French doctor named Belaiche unveiled his Oregano Index that uses oregano oil as the base reference to compare the bactericidal action of other substances. He tested oil of oregano on E. coli, Candida and Staph, and reports: “The essential oil of Oregano has always provided me with amazing results in treating infectious diseases. Besides Oregano oil's bactericidal action, it also prevents spasms, convulsions and nervous disorders. In my estimation, the antispasmodic qualities help to synergize its wonderful antiseptic powers, which comforts me everytime I prescribe it for my patients.”
This year, in a report given by Dr. Harry G. Preuss, M.D., M.A.C.N., C.N.S., professor of physiology and biophysics at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., oil of oregano was found to be as effective as the drugs streptomycin, vancomycin, and penicillin at inhibiting the growth of staphylococcus bacteria in the laboratory. In a second study by Dr. Pruess, eighteen mice infected with staphylococcus were given either oil of oregano, olive oil, or carvacrol, thought to be the active ingredient in oil of oregano, but in this case derived from olive oil. After 30 days, half of the mice given oil of oregano were still alive. All of the mice given carvocrol died within 21 days, and all of the mice given olive oil were dead within three days. The study was repeated with similar results.
In yet other studies, Dr. Preuss, et al., reports that oil of oregano inhibits the growth of Candida albicans both in the laboratory and in the body. “We conclude that the daily oral administration of the edible oil of Origanum may be highly effective in prevention and treatment of candidiasis.” Other researchers have shown under laboratory conditions that oil of oregano has a strong antimicrobial action against a wide number of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Giardia duodenalis and a foodborne pathogen called Aspergillus parasiticus. These studies have not been followed up with human clinical trials. In 1966, a study published in Medical Science Research found that oil of oregano destroyed RNA and DNA viruses, including the types that cause shingles, cold sores and genital herpes, which were obliterated when exposed to the oil.
Customers report a spectrum of uses for oil of oregano from relieving foot fungus to slowing down the common cold. In addition, I have run across several references to a Greek Study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry that determined that oil of wild oregano even destroyed human cancer cells. Clearly oil of oregano bears further investigation.
Copyright (c) 2001 by Chip Engelmann
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