Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review

Oregano

No authors listed
In: LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012.
.
Free Books & Documents
Review

Oregano

No authors listed.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Oregano is a perennial flowering plant the dried leaves and flowers of which are used as a spice and flavoring agent. In addition, oregano oils have been used in traditional medicine as therapy for a variety of conditions in respiratory diseases and parasitic and fungal infections. Oregano extracts have not been approved as therapy of any disease or condition but are available over-the-counter and are generally recognized as safe, have not been associated with serum enzyme elevations during therapy or implicated in cases of clinically apparent liver injury.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Zimmerman HJ. Unconventional drugs. Miscellaneous drugs and diagnostic chemicals. In, Zimmerman, HJ. Hepatotoxicity: the adverse effects of drugs and other chemicals on the liver. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott,1999: pp. 731-4.(Expert review of hepatotoxicity published in 1999; several herbal medications are discussed, but not oregano).
    1. Liu LU, Schiano TD. Hepatotoxicity of herbal medicines, vitamins and natural hepatotoxins. In, Kaplowitz N, DeLeve LD, eds. Drug-induced liver disease. 2nd ed. New York: Informa Healthcare USA, 2007, pp. 733-54.(Review of hepatotoxicity of herbal and dietary supplements [HDS] published in 2007; no mention of oregano).
    1. Oregano. In, PDR for Herbal Medicines. 4th ed. Montvale, New Jersey: Thomson Healthcare Inc. 2007: pp. 621-623.(Compilation of short monographs on herbal medications and dietary supplements).
    1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?C...(Listing of agents generally recognized as safe by the FDA, lists culinary use of oregano as being safe).
    1. Benito M, Jorro G, Morales C, Peláez A, Fernández A. Labiatae allergy: systemic reactions due to ingestion of oregano and thyme. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1996;76:416–8. [ (45 year old man with asthma had an immediate hypersensitivity reaction [rash, lip swelling, stridor, mild hypotension responding to epinephrine] in response to foods that contained oregano and then thyme, later tolerating the same foods without the spices and with positive skin prick tests and in vitro assays to multiple members of the mint family [Lamiaceae]). ] - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources