KEY POINTS:

• Results show oregano’s ability to reduce inflammation throughout the small intestine and colon, promoting the integrity of the intestinal barrier (epithelium), likely due to its effects on intestinal bacteria and immune status.
• Overall nutrient absorption was increased.
• Endotoxins, such as e coli, were significantly reduced.

KEY POINTS:

• TB, Strep, Staph, E coli and Salmonella are some of the more common types of bacterial infections found in humans.
• Oregano is shown to be an alternative antibacterial in enhancing the healing process of bacterial infections, in turn preventing antibiotic resistant strain development.
• Origanum minutiflorum can be used as an alternative to antibiotics to combat microbial diseases, including those of bacterial origin.
• Origanum minutiflorum displayed a “strong and broad-spectrum application against tested plant pathogens, as well as standard antibiotics”, and could potentially be used as an antimicrobial agent in new drugs for therapy.

• Substantial improvements were shown in the digestive capabilities and overall gut health of chickens fed Origanum minutiflorum.
• The digestive enzyme activities, in both the pancreas and small intestine, significantly increased in chickens fed Origanum minutiflorum.
• It was shown that Origanum minutiflorum essential oil may provide a progressive effect on the "quality of the intestines, secretion of digestive enzymes, and particularly the antioxidant defense potential against parasitic infections."
• Higher, longer and wider villi, as well as decreased crypt depth were observed in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum areas of the intestines, "providing a greater surface area for nutrient digestion and absorption."
• These improvements contributed to "increased mucosal enzymes, absorption, and the efficiency of the nutrient transport system."
• Origanum minutiflorum helped to establish "microbial balance throughout the intestines, enhanced nutrient utilization and gut passage rates (motility), as well as encouraged endogenous digestive enzymatic activity", resulting in an overall "increased intestinal absorptive surface area."1)