According the the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. DSM-IV-TR, anxiety is broadly defined as "the unpleasant experience of fear in the absence of that of which we might be afraid." Though there are a variety of anxiety disorders including Generalized Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress, Specific Phobia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, they all have at their core the features of fear and worry. Given the wide spectrum of anxiety disorders, scientists have conducted research looking at the biology of anxiety, and how chemicals inside and outside the body, such as herbs like oregano, are implicated. Consult a doctor before using oregano to treat a condition.
Neurotransmitters and Anxiety
Anxiety has underlying biochemical causes that have to do with a variety of neurotransmitter imbalances. Serotonin, dopamine and GABA are involved in the development and treatment of anxiety. GABA is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. When GABA receptors are activated in various brain regions, neuronal activity is calmed, leading to the decrease of anxious states. For the reason, medications such as benzodiazepines, which facilitate the activity of GABA receptors, are a popular treatment for anxiety disorders. Because of the successful impact of certain medications, researchers started looking at other herbs and nutrients to help anxious individuals.
The Role of Oregano
Given that anxiety has strong underlying biological components, the chemicals in various foods may impact emotional modulation. Researchers in Switzerland looked at oregano as a way to naturally impact the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters, which are known to play a role in anxiety. In this particular study the scientists gave mice certain doses of oregano extract and then observed their behavior. The results, which were published in a 2011 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition," revealed that the mice receiving the oregano demonstrated similar behaviors to humans who took medication involving monoamine neurotransmitters. They go on to suggest that a healthy diet using natural herbs may naturally modulate mood.
Oregano and Other Herbs
Oregano may be one of many herbs that can help mood and anxiety. Scientists in Brazil investigated a compound called carvacrol, which is a substance naturally found in the oil extracts of many plants. This specific oil is found in oregano and thyme. To test the impact of carvacrol on mood, the researchers gave mice fixed doses of the substance and then looked at their response to various tasks such as running mazes. Their results, which were published in the August 2010 issue of "Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology," showed that the mice who had ingested the oregano-thyme compound had less anxiety on the mazes than controls. They use this data to hypothesize that carvacrol may have the anxiolytic effects in humans.
Putting it All Together
At the time of this publication, oregano has not been approved by the FDA in the treatment of anxiety. However, there are many medications that effectively treat anxiety and are known to be safe and effective when combined with behavioral treatments. People who are suffering from anxiety should discuss treatment options and healthy lifestyle choices with their doctor.
References
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Monoamine Reuptake Inhibition and Mood-enchancing Potential of a Specified Oregano Extract"; AO Mechan, et al.; 2011
- "Biological Psychology"; Mark Rosenberg, Arnold Leiman, and S. Marc Breedlove; 1996
- "Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology"; Anxiolytic-like Effect of Carvacrol in mice: Invovlement with GABAergic Transmission; FH Melo, et al.; 2010
- "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, revised"; The American Psychiatric Association; 1994
