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Oil of Oregano for thrush?
By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC
I do not
recommend that breastfeeding mothers use oil of oregano to treat
thrush...
Oil of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is sometimes suggested for
treatment of thrush (candida/yeast). The recommendations I have
seen for the use of oil of oregano for thrush treatment include
topical use of the oil on baby's feet and mother's nipples and internal
use of the oil by the mother.
There is nothing in the professional lactation literature thus
far about oil of oregano, and little information elsewhere. There
has been some discussion about it on Lactnet
(an email discussion group for lactation professionals). Most agreed
that without more substantive information it was not good practice
to recommend it at this point.
In-vitro studies have indicated that oil of oregano has antifungal
and antimicrobial properties, however these effects have not yet
been studied in humans.
Here are a few quotes on the efficacy and safety of oil of oregano:
- The claimed
efficacy for this herb has not been documented... Since efficacy
has not been documented, a therapeutic use of this herb cannot
be recommended.
Source: Oregano
(Origani vulgaris herba), from The Complete German Commission
E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. The American
Botanical Council. Blumenthal, Busse, Goldberg, Gruenwald. Hall,
Klein, Riggins, & Rister, 1998, Austin, TX.
- Oregano
should not be used during pregnancy as it stimulates menstruation
and may cause miscarriage.12 The oil should not be
used internally by anyone. Topically, the volatile oil of oregano
may be moderately irritating to skin and can be a potent mucous
membrane irritant. It should not be applied topically to mucous
membranes in greater than a 1% concentration.13 Children
less than two years of age and people with damaged or very sensitive
skin should not use the oil topically.14
12. Brinker
F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions 2nd ed. Sandy,
OR: Eclectic Medical Publishers, 1998, 181.
13.
Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential Oil Safety. New York: Churchill
Livingston, 1996, 156-7.
14.
Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential Oil Safety. New York: Churchill
Livingston, 1996, 156-7.
Source:
HealthNotes
- Safety
Information: Skin irritant, mucous membrane irritant, can cause
skin irritation. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United
Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 156.]
Source:
aromaweb.com
- Particular
care should be exercised with Cinnamon, Lemongrass, Oregano, and
thyme, as they are some of the strongest and most caustic. Always
dilute these oils before use. Do not add more than 3 drops of
these oils in the bath... For babies 0-12 month, use only 1 drop
of Lavender, Rose, or Chamomile, diluted in 1 tsp. Of Vegetable
Oil for massage or bathing (please, do not use other oils). For
infants 1-5 years old, only use non-toxic and non-caustic oils.
Source: essential-oil.org
- OREGANO
Origanum vulgare L.
Should not be used when pregnant or by children. Possible skin,
mucus membrane irritant. Possible hepatoxic in large levels.
From cherylsherbs.com
Safety Issues:
- Most sources recommend that oil of oregano should not be taken
internally, particularly by infants and young children. Anything
applied to the nipple is likely to be ingested by baby unless
it is washed off very well before nursing. Oils can be difficult
to wash from the nipples, and trying to remove the oil thoroughly
from already-sore nipples can be quite painful -- better to use
something that does not need to be washed off.
- Because oil of oregano is very irritating to the skin and mucus
membranes, there is a very real concern about applying this oil
to baby's skin or to mom's skin where it might come into contact
with baby.
Milk supply:
Anecdotal evidence indicates that eating excessive amounts of oregano
can decrease milk supply (the small amounts used to spice food are
generally not considered to be a problem). A method used to decrease
milk supply when weaning is to use a breast massage oil made with
oil of oregano. Therefore using oil of oregano, either internally
or topically, to treat thrush has the potential to decrease milk
supply.
Recommendation:
Because this essential oil has not been shown to be effective for
thrush treatment in humans and because of safety and milk supply
issues, I do not recommend that breastfeeding mothers use oil of
oregano to treat thrush. There are a number of thrush
treatments that are known to be effective and safe, and thus
would be a better choice over oil of oregano.
Page last modified:
03/03/2005
Written: 04/25/2003
