May Have Anti-Cancer Properties
As the most powerful natural antioxidant, oregano oil may be able to combat cancer. The herb contains various oils, including carvacrol, thymol, and caryophyllene. These three compounds are all antioxidants. Carvacrol and thymol have been shown to inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells in test tubes, while caryophyllene has been shown to reduce tumor cell viability in mice cancer models.
Cells with an overactive p53 gene are the most highly aggressive cancers. This gene pushes cells into apoptosis—programmed cell death—when they become damaged or cancerous. It is believed that carvacrol and thymol may be able to repair this damaged gene, encouraging it to do its job properly and put a stop to cancerous cells before they have a chance to develop into tumors. Oregano oil is also thought to work as an anti-inflammatory and an antibiotic, which could reduce symptoms in many other kinds of cancers than just those caused by p53 mutations.
