The sexually-transmitted disease syphilis is highly contagious and can eventually lead to debilitating symptoms if not treated. Fortunately, syphilis is curable with a course of antibiotics. For various reasons, some people who have been diagnosed or suspect they have the disease are tempted to forgo conventional medicine and try alternative treatments. Oil of oregano is one substance occasionally purported to cure syphilis.
Syphilis
Syphilis occurs after infection with the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. It enters the body through broken skin or mucous membranes. Symptoms of the primary stage of syphilis include a small painless sore in the infected area that heals on its own, and enlarged lymph nodes in the immediate area. If the infected person does not seek treatment, the condition goes dormant while the bacteria continue to multiply. Eventually, a secondary stage occurs, which commonly involves a skin rash and sores in the mouth or genital area. Some other possible symptoms of this stage include fever, feeling unwell, muscle and joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes and hair loss. After another dormant period, a third stage of syphilis may occur. This stage is more severe and debilitating and can be fatal.
Oil of Oregano Research
In early research, oil of oregano shows antifungal, antiparasitic and antibiotic effects against organisms other than the one that causes syphilis. Research published in the May 2000 issue of "Phytotherapy Research" indicated that oil of oregano had positive effects on some study participants whose stools tested positive for various parasites. A study published in the December 2001 issue of "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry" found that in test tubes, oil of oregano and components of the oil completely inhibited the growth of Candida albicans, which causes yeast infections. The "Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences" in October 2009 published research indicating that oil of oregano was effective against numerous species of bacteria in test tubes, although the researchers did not include the type that causes syphilis. Test tube results do not necessarily translate to similar results in humans.
FDA Warning
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2011 sent a warning letter to the owner of a Texas-based website for selling certain products, including an unapproved oil of oregano pharmaceutical the agency said is "dangerous to health when used in the manner recommended or suggested in their labeling." One legal violation was the unsubstantiated claim that oil of oregano could treat not only syphilis but other conditions including gonorrhea, genital herpes, genital warts and AIDS.
Considerations
An infected person who relies on oil of oregano for a syphilis cure may delay or not seek effective treatment, which can be dangerous not only to the infected person but to his sexual partners, warns the April 2011 FDA letter. All stages of syphilis can be cured with antibiotics such as penicillin, doxycycline or tetracycline, and early diagnosis and treatment can prevent long-lasting or permanent complications.
References
- PubMed Health: Syphilis
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Inhibition of Enteric Parasites by Emulsified Oil of Oregano in Vivo; M. Force, et al.; May 2000
- "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry"; Antifungal Activities of Origanum Oil Against Candida Albicans; V. Manohar, et al.; December 2001
- "Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences"; Antibacterial Activity of Oregano (Origanum Vulgare Linn.) Against Gram Positive Bacteria; S. Saeed, P. Tariq; October 2009
- Casewatch: FDA Warning Letter
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