Essential Health Wild Oregano

Wild Oregano is higher in antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables, and it's packed full of powerful compounds called phenols. Oregano also contains compounds that may be effective against bacterial and fungal infections, inflammation, and pain, among other conditions.

Oregano oil may have the following health benefits:

1. Fighting bacteria

Thanks to the high levels of carvacrol, oregano oil may help fight certain types of bacteria.

For instance, Staphylococcus is a common type of bacteria that causes staph infection. Some strains occur naturally in the body, but when the bacteria grow too quickly, it can cause bothersome symptoms.

ResearchTrusted Source shows that carvacrol is effective in eliminating the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, two common causes of infection.

Taking oregano oil supplements or rubbing it on the skin may help a person make use of these antibacterial effects.

Researchers are also exploring the use of oregano oil for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The authors of a study in Frontiers in MicrobiologyTrusted Source found that a combination of oregano oil and silver nanoparticles effectively eliminated all the bacteria they tested.

2. Treating small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

Oregano oil may help treat chronic bacterial issues, such as SIBO. People with SIBO experience gastrointestinal problems due to an overgrowth of certain bacteria in their intestines.

A 2014 studyTrusted Source found that herbal remedies, including one that contained high levels of both carvacrol and thymol, were effective tools in treating SIBO.

Exploring the individual effects of each compound will require more research, but these initial findings may be promising.

3. Treating fungal infections

Oregano oil also appears to be a potent antifungal agent thanks to high levels of thymol.

Research from 2015Trusted Source found thymol to be an effective treatment for common Candida fungal infections.

Candida causes several types of infections, including:

• oral thrush
• yeast infections
• infected toenails or fingernails
• athlete’s foot

The research was conducted in test tubes, however, and determining oregano oil’s effectiveness will require more studies in humans.

4. Providing antioxidants

Oregano oil is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect the body from damage caused by oxidative stress and free radicals.

Oxidative stress may lead to increased DNA damage and cell deathTrusted Source . Oxidation may also play a role in other issues, such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, and some cancers.

Thymol and carvacrol are powerful antioxidants that may help reduce oxidation. The researchers suggested that further studies explore safe doses for regular use.

5. Reducing inflammation

Some sources claim that oregano oil may help reduce inflammation. The compound carvacrol shows anti-inflammatory effects in both animal models and in vitro studies.

Research from 2017Trusted Source looked at a variety of investigations into carvacrol’s anti-inflammatory effects.

In one study on mice, the compound prevented obesity by affecting the genes involved in inflammation. In another animal study, the compound reduced swelling.

While the results show promise, the researchers have called for more tests on humans to determine a safe dosage.

6. Healing wounds

Applying diluted oregano oil to the skin may help protect smaller cuts and scrapes on the skin as they heal.

Compounds such as thymol and carvacrol could protect these types of wound from bacterial infections.

7. Repelling insects

Both carvacrol and thymol may be effective insect-repellents. In 2017, researchers found that these compounds repelled some ticks and mosquitos. The research included test tube studies and those with human participants.

More research will help confirm this potential benefit, but rubbing diluted oregano oil on the skin may be a natural way to help repel insects.

8. Relieving pain

There is some evidence that oregano may be an effective pain reliever. An animal studyTrusted Source found that an extract of oregano provided pain relief.

These results were dose-dependent — the more the animals took, the more pain relief they felt.

Importantly, the researchers used a water-based extract, so the oil may not provide the same results. More research in humans could help determine an appropriate dose.

9. Aiding weight loss

Oregano oil may also be a helpful tool for people looking to lose weight. ResearchersTrusted Source have found that carvacrol, the main compound in oregano oil, disrupts part of the process that leads to the creation and accumulation of fat tissue.

More direct research may help provide additional evidence for these claims.

10. Fighting cancer

Some sources claim that oregano oil may help fight some cancers. One reviewTrusted Source notes that the essential oil from oregano helps prevent some types of colon cancer and breast cancer from growing in test tubes.

The oil also appeared to inhibit the growth of some lung cancer and prostate cancer cells. Much of the research in cancer comes from test tubes or animal models, so people should view the results with caution and never use oils as a replacement for medical treatment.