Herbs and culinary spices have been used for centuries to slow the spoilage of food, due to their antimicrobial properties. Recent research has documented the use of oil of oregano against antibiotic resistant Salmonella enterica on leafy greens(1). The use of oil of oregano has been documented for a variety of candida species including Candida albicans(2,3). The evaluation of oil of oregano on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ps. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus indicated that treatment led to reduction of cells viability due to induction of membrane damage resulting in ultrastructural alterations and the loss of cell viability(4). Other research looked at the antibacterial properties of oil of oregano against clinical strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Ps. aeruginosa(5). The oil was shown to be active against all of the clinical strains from both genus of bacteria, and researchers concluded oil of oregano is an alternative antibacterial enhancing healing process in bacterial infections and as an effective means for the prevention of antibiotic-resistant strain development.
1. Moore-Neibel K, et al. Antimicrobial activity of oregano oil against antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens at varying exposure times and storage temperatures. Food Microbiol. 2013 May;34(1):123-9.
2. Pozzatti P, et al. in vitro activity of essential oils extracted from plants used as spices against fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-susceptible Candida spp. Can J Microbiol. 2008 Nov;54(11:950-6.
3. Stiles J, Sparks, W, Ronzio R. The Inhibition of Candida Albicans by Oregano. J of Applied Nut. Vol 47, No 4, 1995.
4. Bouhdid S, et al. Investigation of functional and morphological changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus cells induced by Origanum campactum essential oil. J A;ppl Microbiol. 2009 May;(106(5):1558-68.
5. Seinkiewicz M, et al. The antibacterial activity of oregano essential oil against clinical stains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Med Dosw Mikrobiol. 2012;64(4):287-307.