Oil of oregano holds true health benefits that are still not widely known. The oregano that the oil comes from isn't the type you find in a bottle on your grocer's shelf. Most of the time, thebottle labeled oregano is actually marjoram. It gets quite confusing since the genus is origanum or oregano and marjoram belongs to it. So all marjoram is oregano but not all oregano is marjoram. Medicinal oregano is "organum vulgare" also called common oregano.

To make matters worse, you'll often find plants and seed of "organum vulgare" sold as wild marjoram. Even though the name is confusing, the healing benefits are easy to understand.

The scent of the oregano has a hint of a piney scent, which we often identify with a disinfectant and that it is. It contains carvacrol, the same ingredient that gives Pinesol and Listerine their antibacterial boost. However, unlike Pinesol, it's not toxic because of the rest of the phytochemicals found in the oil. If you ingested the synthetic carvacrol, you'd find that it made you very ill because it does not contain these elements.

In tests conducted on the oil, scientists found that the disease fighting properties of oregano oil come from the carvacrol in the oregano oil and that kills both fungi and bacterial spores. One test study recorded in the "Archives Microbiology" October 2000 and "Quarterly Review Biology" March 1998, demonstrated that oregano's constituent carvacrol actually killed Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis. If the second name sounded familiar, it's because the common name for that bacteria is anthrax.

Another study from the Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee in 2001 and reported in the "Journal of Food Protection, July 2001, that when using several different types of plant oils, oregano oil showed the most antibacterial strength against germs like staph. Listeria and E. col. This study followed one completed the previous year and reported in the "Journal of Applied Microbiology in February 2000. That study also showed that the oregano oil was effective in killing 25 types of bacteria.

Another study from the "Journal of Applied Microbiology," June1999, found that oregano had "pharmacologic" effects on yeast infections (Candida albicans), E.coli, Pseydomonas aeruginaosa and Salmonella enteric. Pseydomonas aeruginaosa is the cause of "hot tub rash" but also produces lethal reactions such as pneumonia in people with weakened immune systems.

Oil of oregano has more than just bacterial fighting qualities. It also contains many important minerals. While it contains twice the amount of calcium found in cheese, it's doubtful that you'll ever have a toasted oregano sandwich, but it does add to your daily nutritional intake. It also has magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, boron, potassium and manganese. While oil of oregano has an abundance of iron, like spinach, it also contains ingredients that may stop the absorption of iron. Therefore, if you use the product on a regular basis, it's best to take an iron supplement.

You can use oregano oil for skin infections and irritations if you mix it with other milder oils like coconut oil. The carvacrol and thymol in the oil make it a good remedy for an upset stomach. Just mixing a couple of drops with juice helps mild indigestion. That same mixture taken for several days helps relieve sinus infections, sore throats and congestion.

While oregano oil is antibacterial, it's not antibiotic. This means it doesn't kill your cells, but just the bacteria. It makes it safe for consumption by most people. However, there is always a possibility of an allergic reaction. Anyone allergic to thyme, basil, mint or sage should be careful using oil of oregano and seek medical attention if a rash or vomiting ensues after use.