The term “oregano” is derived from the Greek word oros, meaning mountain. This herb has been used since ancient times to treat various diseases and conditions. Its botanical name is Origanum vulgare, and its active ingredient is carvacrol which has potent antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
For countless generations, oregano has been a natural remedy for various illnesses and ailments. Oregano oil is widely used to treat multiple health issues, including colds and flu, respiratory problems, digestive disorders, infections, allergies, and more.
Antioxidant Properties
Oregano oil is becoming increasingly popular due to its many benefits, including its ability to encourage the production of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals, which can cause inflammation and cell damage. Oregano oil has been found to contain up to 80 different antioxidants, making it an excellent source of these compounds.
Oregano oil also contains carvacrol, one of the main compounds responsible for the distinctive flavor of oregano. This compound has been found to possess anti-inflammatory effects and inhibitory effects on viruses such as influenza A and herpes simplex type I and II. This makes oregano oil an excellent supplement for chronic pain, frequent colds, or infections.
Although oregano oil is still relatively new compared to other remedies and supplements on the market, it has already proven very effective at assisting with minor health issues. For example, some studies have shown that oregano oil can be just as effective as certain antibiotics in fighting off bacterial infections.
Antioxidants can help protect against free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage cells and cause them to mutate into cancerous tumors. Antioxidants from oregano oil makes it more difficult for these free radicals to form inside the body. They prevent oxidative stress on the heart and lungs, which helps prevent heart disease and other types of lung disease associated with breathing difficulties like emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).