Oregano may ward off stomach bugs

Looking for an excuse to eat pizza? Oregano, one of the main ingredients found in the popular dish, may help ward off stomach bugs, a new study found.

Carvacrol, a plant compound in the herb oregano, is highly effective against the infectious norovirus, according to researchers from the University of Arizona. The herb chemical helps strip off the virus of its armor, a tough outer protein coat, making it more vulnerable and much easier to destroy.

"Carvacrol could potentially be used as a food sanitizer and possibly as a surface sanitizer, particularly in conjunction with other antimicrobials," Dr. Kelly Bright, the lead author of the study, said in a statement.

"We have some work to do to assess its potential but carvacrol has a unique way of attacking the virus, which makes it an interesting prospect," she added.

Norovirus is a common cause of food-borne disease and a common problem among nursing homes, hospitals, schools and cruise ships. The infection normally passes in a few days but can pose a dangerous threat to some people already suffering from other medical complications.

The new study shows that carvacrol acts directly on the capsid, the tough shell of proteins surrounding the virus that encloses its genetic material. Experts claim that if used as a sanitizer, it would be long-lasting, non-corrosive, fume-free and safe.

Carvacrol is especially useful in settings where people may be vulnerable to the effects of strong bleach and alcohol-based cleaners, such as at care homes and school establishments, they said. However, the researchers stressed that although oregano is found in pizza, no amount of pizza consumption will protect anyone from the norovirus. They also do not recommend the direct consumption of concentrated carvacrol as it can cause burning and numbness on the tongue.

Results of the recent study were published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.