What is Clove and Oregano Complex?

Clove (Syzygium Aromaticum) is a traditional spice that has been used for food preservation and possesses various pharmacological activities. Syzygium Aromaticum is rich in many phytochemicals such as sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, hydrocarbon, and phenolic compounds. Eugenyl acetate, eugenol, and β-caryophyllene are the most significant phytochemicals in clove oil. Pharmacologically, Syzygium Aromaticum has been examined against various pathogenic parasites and microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria, Plasmodium, Babesia, parasites, Herpes simplex, and hepatitis C viruses.

Syzygium Aromaticum is a dried flower bud belonging to the Myrtaceae family that is native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia but has recently been farmed in different places worldwide. The clove tree is composed of leaves and buds(the commercial part of the tree) and the flowering bud production begins four years after plantation. Afterward, they are collected either by hand or using a natural phytohormone in the pre-flowering stage.

Traditionally, Syzygium Aromaticum is one of the key herbs used in traditional Ayurvedic practice for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections and worms. As well as this, Syzygium Aromaticum has been researched for it’s use in male health, it’s strong antioxidant properties and its use as an anti-viral.

What does Clove do?

CLOVE (Syzygium Aromaticum)
A database showing the 100 richest dietary sources of polyphenols indicated that spice plants have the greatest polyphenol content followed by fruits, seeds and vegetables. Among spices, clove showed the highest content of polyphenols and antioxidant compounds. These antioxidant properties of clove have been studied extensively in research.

Is Clove ANTI-MICROBIAL?

The antimicrobial activities of clove have been proved against several bacteria and fungus strains. Sofia et al. tested the antimicrobial activity of different Indian spice plants, mint, cinnamon, mustard, ginger, garlic, and clove.

The only samples that showed complete bactericidal effect against all the food-borne pathogens tested Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus was the aqueous extract of clove at 3%. At the concentration of 1% clove extract also showed good inhibitory action.

Is Clove ANTI-FUNGAL?

Clove oil is reported to have strong antifungal activity against many fungal species, and this has been shown in human clinical trials. A recent study set out to examine the antifungal activity of clove essential oil extracted from floral buds against dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum gypseum, and plant pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus sp. and Mucor sp. Clove buds (200 g) were powdered in a grinder and subjected to steam distillation. Plates were prepared with increasing concentration of clove essential oil (EO) from 1 μl/ml to 12 μl/ml. After this time, plates were then incubated for 5 days. Results clearly indicated that clove EO is highly antifungal towards all tested fungal species.

The researchers concluded that the antifungal action of clove oil is due to its high eugenol content. This is supported by further research. Ahmad et al. who evaluated the antimicrobial activity of clove oil against a range of fungal pathogens including the ones for urogenital infections. Clove oil was found to possess strong antifungal activity against opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. The essential ingredient responsible for its antifungal activity was eugenol from the clove. Thus, this showed clove’s potential beneficial use as an anti-fungal agent.

Is Clove ANTI-VIRAL ?

Clove has been extensively studied for its use as a natural anti-viral solution. An in vitro study looked at the effect of clove, along with six other raw food materials and their antiviral activity. The antiviral assay was performed using dilutions of the extracts below the maximum nontoxic concentrations of the extracts to the host cells. Results showed the highest virucidal activity was seen with clove extract at concentrations of 1, 1.7, and 3.3%, respectively. Clove significantly decreased the infectivity in pretreatment of the virus. Further to this, clove also significantly decreased the infectivity of the virus in coinfection and post infection treatments, however not in pretreatment of cells. The study concluded that eugenol was not the only compound within the clove extract that was responsible for the anti-viral activity and that other bioactive molecules could also play a role in clove’s overall anti-viral activity. These include polyphenols, proanthocyanins and polysaccharides, all of which have been researched for their anti-viral properties.

What is BASIL LEAF (Ocimum basilicum)?

Ocimum basilicum L. or sweet basil, is a highly valued horticultural crop that is widely consumed around the world, especially in Mediterranean and Southeast Asian countries. The fresh or dried leaves of this species are commonly used as a spice. Basil leaves are rich in essential oils and phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, caffeic acid derivatives, and flavonoids), contributing to their high antioxidant activity.

Is Basil Leaf ANTI-MICROBIAL?

In a study, the antimicrobial activities of EOs from aerial parts of basil (collected at full flowering stage during summer, autumn, winter, and spring) against S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis, and Pasteurella multocida, as well as pathogenic fungi A. niger, Mucor mucedo, Fusarium solani (F. solani), Botryodiplodia theobromae, and R. solani were assessed by the disc diffusion method and the MICs were determined by a microdilution broth susceptibility assay. The results indicated that basil EOs possessed antimicrobial activities against all tested microorganisms. Antimicrobial activities of the EOs varied significantly as seasons changed, and EOs from winter and autumn crops exhibited greater antimicrobial activities.

Further to this, EOs of 12 basil cultivars against 8 bacterial species (B. cereus, Micrococcus flavus, S. aureus and E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes) and 7 fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus), A. niger, Aspergillus versicolor (A. versicolor), Aspergillus ochraceus (A. ochraceus), Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium ochrochloron, and Trichoderma viride) by a modified microdilution technique. All basil EOs tested showed significant antimicrobial activities, with minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 0.009 to 23.48 micrograms per milliliter (μg/mL) for bacteria and 0.08–5.00 μg/mL for fungi. All the EOs showed higher antibacterial activities than ampicillin for some
bacteria.

What is OREGANO ?

Oregano essential oil is generally known as the essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the flowers and leaves of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum. The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) name for oregano oil is “Origanum vulgare leaf oil,” “Origanum vulgare flower/leaf/stem extract,” or “Origanum vulgare leaf extract.” Itis not known to what extent oils from other Origanum species can be/are sold as oregano oil, although the essential oils obtained from O. compactum, O. onites, and Thymbra capitata are commonly labelled as oregano oils. Origanum vulgare is originally from the Mediterranean region but is more widely distributed across Europe (including the British Isles), as well as south and central Asia, and, in North America in the lower 48 states and Canada.

Several studies have been conducted to determine and evaluate the biological properties of Oregano essential oil, with most of the studies are focused on antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, bacterial and antiviral activity.

Is Oregano an ANTIOXIDANT?

The antioxidant properties of EOs from different species of oregano have been studied in research. The antioxidant activity of the EO from two O. vulgare subspecies (subsp. vulgare and subsp. hirtum) was evaluated using different methods, such as free radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS assays) and reducing power (FRAP and CUPRAC assays). They identified that the radical scavenging capacity and the reducing power of O. vulgare vulgare (thymol: 58.31%) showed significantly higher activities than O. vulgare hirtum (linalool: 96.31%). Further to this, the stability of EO of oregano is influenced by its drying method. Further research has identified that the antioxidant activity of oregano EO is preserved after the process of microencapsulation by spray-drying that extends its stability
during storage.

Is Oregano ANTI-MICROBIAL?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused primarily by uropathogenic Escherichia coli. One study looked at the efficacy of 79 essential oils for antibiofilm ability against E. coli. Oregano oil and thyme red oil inhibited E. coli biofilm formation by more than 60% and did not inhibit planktonic cell growth by more than 15% at a concentration of 0·01% as compared with untreated controls. The significant inhibition of Oregano oil and Thyme red oil are thought to be due to their major common constituents, carvacrol and thymol. The findings of the study were supported by observations that carvacrol and thymol reduced fimbriae production, which are proteinaceous filamentous projections on the bacterial cell surface that function as adhesins to assist binding of the bacteria to a specific receptor on host cells, and the abundant motility of E. coli and that carvacrol-rich oregano oil and thymol-rich thyme red oil have high antibiofilm activities against E. coli and present a natural form of treatment for UTIs.

Further research supports this. Another study investigated the efficacy of oregano oil against pathogenic bacteria including multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates in vitro. Results showed that oregano oil had significant anti-bacterial activity against 11 MDR clinical isolates, including four Acinetobacter baumannii, three Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and four methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Oregano oil also effectively eradicated biofilms formed by each of the 13 pathogens above at similar MICs. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that oregano oil damaged bacterial cells and altered the morphology of their biofilms.

What is ROSEMARY?

Rosemary is considered one of the most important sources for the extraction of phenolic compounds, with strong antioxidant activity. Rosemary extracts, enriched in phenolic compounds are effective antioxidants due to their phenolic hydroxyl groups but also possess other beneficial effects like antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic activity. Rosemary plants have many phytochemicals which constitute potential sources of natural compounds as phenolic diterpenes, flavonoids phenolic acids and essential oils. Most of Rosemary’s antioxidant benefits is attributed to a high content of non-volatile components of carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, both of which have shown in research to demonstrate therapeutic benefits in bacterial infections.

Is Rosemary Anti Inflammatory?

Rosemary has also shown to exert benefits on those suffering with musculoskeletal pain. 105 patients aged 18-65 were split into three groups and given either 5% menthol drop, a Rosemary spray or placebo. The rosemary, menthol, and placebo groups used 2 puffs of rosemary spray, 10 drops of menthol, and Vaseline ointment, respectively, three times a day (morning, noon, and night) for three consecutive days at the site of pain on the legs. The participants evaluated their pain intensity using a PI-NRS and recorded the result in the questionnaire 4 hours after medication use in the morning and noon. Mean variation in pain intensity in the placebo group was significantly lower than the rosemary and menthol groups . Therefore, the use of rosemary essence is effective on the reduction of pain intensity. 1,8-cineol, as the main natural component in rosemary essence, can inhibit the formation of the inflammatory mediators of prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and cytokines in laboratory environment. Thus, it seems that rosemary presented significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in the present study, and topical use could be a natural alternative to alleviate musculoskeletal pain Table one: Mean variation in pain intensity between Placebo, Rosemary and Menthol Groups.

Is Rosemary Anti Viral?

Rosemary has also shown inhibitory effects against Herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), in vitro. Dried rosemary (R. officinalis, L.) fine powder (100 g) was extracted in water. Rosemary extract at 30 μg/ml caused 55% inhibition of HSV-1 plaques and 100% inhibition against HSV-1 at 50 μg/ml. For the HSC-2 plaques,40 μg/ml of rosemary extract caused 65% inhibition and 100% inhibition at 50 μg/ml, respectively. It is thought that a phytochemical from Rosemary extract could be participating in phenolic binding with the protein coat of the virus, blocking ligands from the viral surface, thus inactivating the virus. The data from this study suggest that rosemary extract may be suitable as a therapeutic agent for herpes viral infections.

What is THYME (Thymus vulgaris)?

Thyme belongs to the family Lamiaceae, is a subshrub native to the western Mediterranean region. Thyme is widely used as a spice to add special flavor to foods. In recent studies, thyme was found to possess efficient antimicrobial
activities and was used in some foods to extend the shelf-life. A favourite staple herb of the British Isles, thyme has a long-standing reputation as a protector against digestive infections.

Is Thyme Ati microbial?

A study evaluated the antimicrobial activities of thyme essential oil (EO) against bacteria (B. ubtilis, S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and Mycobacterium smegmatis (M.smegmatis)) and fungal strains (C. albicans and Candida vaginalis). Thyme EO showed effective bactericidal and antifungal activities against tested microorganism strains with MICs ranging from 75 to 1100 μg/mL for bacteria, and from 80 to
97 μg/mL for fungi.

In another study, EOs obtained from thyme harvested at four ontogenetic stages were tested for their antibacterial activities against nine strains of Gram-negative bacteria and six strains of Gram-positive bacteria using the bioimpedance method to test the bacteriostatic activities and plate counting technique to study the inhibitory effects by direct contact. The results indicated that all the thyme EOs had significant bacteriostatic activities against the microorganisms tested. It is thought that Thyme’s potent antimicrobial action is due to its bioactive component, Thymol.

Thymol is said to be the main active ingredient responsible for the activity of thyme EO and has been shown to possess antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant properties.

Clove and Oregano Dosage
Take 1capsule 2-3 times daily, between meals, or as advised by a healthcare practitioner.

Potential applications of Clove and Oregano

Bladder health- incontinence, overactive bladder.

Candida infection - reducing candida adherence to gut wall and causes ‘die off’.

Travelling - water or food borne pathogens.

Food poisoning - may be useful in aiding recovery.