Oregano tincture is a powerful remedy for fighting bacteria and fungi, healing wounds, reducing inflammation, and supporting the immune system. Herbalists rely on it to treat gastrointestinal disorders, colds, flu, and respiratory disorders. Oregano tincture has also traditionally been used to treat or prevent diabetes. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties also help treat external issues like acne, skin infections, and fungal infections.
Oregano is often considered a culinary herb, but it has also been an important herb in folk medicine for centuries. It’s a great herb to do battle against bacteria and fungus both internally and externally.
Today, oregano oil remains a popular herbal remedy, but not everyone tolerates it. Oregano tincture is also an excellent option for those folks. It’s easy to add to a glass of water, tea, or juice.
However, it may have some side effects. Don’t take oregano tincture if you’re taking lithium, blood thinners, or diabetes medication. It may slow blood clotting or cause blood sugar to go too low.
Oregano is also easy to grow, so you can make your own fresh tinctures and other herbal remedies. You can grow oregano from seed or divisions and plant them out in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. It’s a hardy perennial in hardiness zone 4 through 10 and will last for years to come.
Oregano thrives in full sun but will do okay in partial shade in hot climates. Amending your soil with finished compost will help ensure good growth. Be sure to leave plenty of room; oregano plants grow deceptively large, reaching one to two feet tall and about 18 inches wide.
It’s also great for apartment homesteaders or folks short on space. Oregano tolerates being grown in a container, so you can grow it indoors or on a balcony or patio if you don’t have garden space available.
Regular harvesting is great for oregano, so you can use plenty once the plant is established. Trimming the tops of the stems will encourage the plant to grow bushier rather than tall and leggy and gives you plenty to use for your culinary and medicinal creations!
Oregano Tincture Uses
Herbalists use oregano tinctures both topically and internally to treat various ailments.
Topically, oregano tincture is used to:
- Treat skin irritations
- Heal minor wounds
- Fight skin infections
- Treat insect bites and stings
Internally, oregano tincture is used to:
- Treat respiratory ailments
- Boost the immune system
- Treat gastrointestinal disorders
- Fight infections
Additionally, the herb is currently being investigated for its potential:
- Lower cholesterol
- Diabetes Treatment
- Fight cancer
A few studies have demonstrated oregano’s use for these ailments, but further study is needed to verify their significance.
Benefits of Oregano Tincture
Oregano has been an important herbal remedy for hundreds of years. The ancient Egyptians realized the significance of oregano’s antibacterial and antifungal properties and used it as a food preservative. Along with the Ancient Greeks, they also used it to treat poison. The ancient Greeks also used oregano to treat skin irritation, infections, convulsions, and heart failure.
Today, herbalists still primarily use oregano tincture for its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, it’s also full of vitamins and antioxidants, making it good for general health and immunity. One study found that out of 39 commonly used herbs, oregano had the highest concentration of antioxidants.
Internally, oregano’s antibacterial effects have made it a top choice for treating infections. One 2002 study found that oregano had a similar impact on E. coli bacteria as a standard antibiotic called polymyxin B. Both the oregano and the antibiotic work by disrupting the bacteria’s outer cell membrane. Further, another study found oregano oil was active against E. Coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that can cause lung infections, especially in immune-compromised patients.
One Georgetown University researcher found that oregano was particularly helpful in treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a growing problem in today’s world. The researcher gave oregano oil or olive oil to mice that had been infected with staph bacteria. All of the mice that received just olive oil died within three days, but 50% of the mice that were given oregano oil survived at least 30 days.
Oregano is also a common herb choice for external infections and skin irritations. One study examined the effects of oregano on a few specific acne-causing bacteria. Surprisingly, they found that oregano showed better healing and antimicrobial effects than antibiotics.
Oregano tincture can also be used to treat different types of fungal growth, particularly thrush, athlete’s foot, nail infections, and yeast infections. Unlike some fungal treatments, these growths don’t build up a tolerance to oregano over time, making them a better choice for long-term management of the condition.
Oregano extract can be used to maintain oral health and prevent periodontal disease. To make a simple but effective antibacterial mouthwash, whisk a few drops of oregano tincture into a cup of warm water with a pinch of salt.
In traditional medicine oregano was used to treat diabetes where modern treatments weren’t available. Today, researchers are currently looking into oregano as a potential source for antidiabetic medication as it is known to lower blood sugar.
Researchers are also experimenting with using oregano to prevent and treat cancer. Studies have found that carvacrol, a compound found in oregano, may inhibit lung cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer cells.
This same compound, carvacrol, may also be involved in oregano’s traditional use as an herb for gastrointestinal issues. When combined with other herbs, researchers found that oregano worked as well at treating bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine as Rifaximin, a common antibiotic for treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Oregano tincture doses vary based on the person and specific needs. Generally, herbalists recommend 1 to 2 droppers full up to 3 times daily.
Parts Used for Tincture
There’s little waste when making an oregano tincture. Harvest some of your oregano by trimming some stems off. You can use the leaves, stems, and flowers in your tincture.
Rather than just stuffing these into the jar, it’s best to chop them up a bit. This provides more surface area for the alcohol to soak into the oregano.
You can also purchase dried oregano for your tincture if you don’t grow oregano. It’s among the few medicinal herbs commonly found on the grocery store shelf. You can also order oregano online. Mountain Rose Herbs is one of our favorite herbal suppliers.
How to Make Oregano Tincture
To make an oregano tincture, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment:
- Fresh or dried oregano leaves, stems, and flowers
- Vodka* (or any other palatable alcohol, rum, gin, and whiskey are also common choices)
- One-pint mason jar with lid (amber glass is ideal, but as long as you keep the tincture away from light at all times, it won’t make a difference)
- Funnel
- Cheesecloth
- Fine mesh sieve
- Amber glass tincture bottles (with dropper)
*The Herbal Academy’s tincture-making course recommends using 70% to 95% alcohol when working with fresh oregano or 45% alcohol when working with dried oregano.
**Never use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol for tinctures (or any other remedy you plan on ingesting). Even in small amounts, this type of alcohol is toxic and meant for external applications only.
To make the tincture, fill a jar about ⅔ full with fresh oregano or about ½ full with dried oregano.
Cover the oregano with vodka or whichever alcohol you’ve chosen, and seal the jar with its lid. Make sure the lid is airtight so the alcohol doesn’t evaporate.
Place your jar somewhere cool and dark, like a kitchen cabinet, but don’t hide it away where you will forget it. You need to shake your tincture regularly. It’s best to shake your tincture once a day gently, but tinctures are forgiving, and every couple of days will work, too.
If your alcohol drops below the oregano, you should top it off to ensure all the oregano is submerged.
Keep this up for about 4 to 6 weeks, and your tincture will be ready for decanting!
To do this, line a funnel with cheesecloth. Carefully strain the tincture, then squeeze your oregano in the cheesecloth to ensure all the liquid is expelled.
At this stage, you can bottle your tincture or let it settle overnight and use a finer filter or sieve to remove any additional material. This may be especially helpful if you used dried oregano that had a lot of fine particles or dust. It may not be necessary for the larger pieces of fresh oregano.
Once you’re happy with your tincture, pour it into small amber glass tincture bottles.
Remember to label the tincture bottles with the name, date, and suggested dosages (I use a small piece of masking tape and a marker; it peels off easily when I’m ready to use the bottle for something else). It’s easier to lose track of your tinctures than you’d think!
Oregano Tincture Dosage
I’d suggest consulting a clinical herbalist for an exact dosage specific to your body and needs.
Generally, the dosage for oregano tincture is 1 to 2 droppers full (1 to 2ml), one to three times per day. Once per day may be enough for general wellness, but up to three times per day may be better for fighting acute infections.
Oregano Formulations
When used for skin health and to soothe irritations, Oregano tincture pairs well with other herbs for the skin, like calendula tincture or turmeric tincture. To help fight infections and respiratory ailments, try using your oregano tincture with other immune-boosting remedies like elderberry tincture or echinacea tincture. For those who suffer from gastrointestinal issues, pairing oregano tincture with a soothing tincture like chamomile may help reduce discomfort.
Oregano Tincture
Oregano tincture is a homemade herbal remedy that's easy to make with just a few ingredients.
Materials
- Oregano, Fresh or Dried
- Neutral Spirit (such as vodka)*
Tools
- Pint mason jar (or any other jar with a tight-fitting lid)
- Funnel
- Cheesecloth (or fine mesh strainer)
- Dark amber dropper bottles
- Adhesive label or masking tape (for labelling tincture)
Instructions
- Fill a clean, empty mason jar 3/4 full of fresh Oregano, or 1/2 full of dried Oregano. (Dried Oregano from the grocery store works just fine, but you're often able to get a better price when you buy it in bulk from an herbal supply shop.)
- Cover the fresh or dried oregano with alcohol, making sure the contents of the jar are completely covered.
- Screw the lid on tightly and gently shake the contents of the jar. Place in a cool, dry location away from light, allowing the extraction to occur over the next 6 to 8 weeks.
- Give the contents of the jar a gentle shake every couple of days.
- Keep an eye on the alcohol level, adding more alcohol to cover the plant material if needed.
- Once the tincture is ready to be decanted, line a funnel with cheesecloth and place the tip of the funnel into the neck of a dark amber glass bottle. Pour the solvent and the oregano into the cheesecloth-lined funnel, pressing to make sure all of the liquid makes it into the bottle.
- Label the tincture with its contents, date of production, recommended dosages, and suggested usages. Store in a cool, dry area away from light.
Notes
*Tinctures are usually made with vodka as a neutral spirit, but you can also use brandy, whisky or any other high-proof alcohol. Finished tinctures need to be at least 25% alcohol for preservation, and fresh herbs contribute some moisture to the mix. Be sure you use something that's 60-proof or higher.
Never use denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol to make tinctures, as it's unsafe for consumption.
To make an alcohol-free glycerite tincture (glycerite): cover dried plant material completely with a preparation of 3 parts glycerin to 1 part distilled water (instead of alcohol). Dried oregano is available from herbal supply stores or just everyday grocery stores, and is often used in place of fresh. If using fresh oregano, use all glycerine and skip the water. As the glycerite tincture develops, it will need to be shaken every day. Proceed following the same directions as if making an alcohol-based tincture.
Yield
The yield varies, but if you're using fresh plant material, you should expect to pull out ever so slightly more tincture than the vodka you add. If using dried plant material, the dried herbs will absorb some and you'll get slightly less than the alcohol added. The amount of vodka will vary based on how tightly you pack the jar, but you should need about 2-3 cups of vodka for a quart jar, or about 1 to 1 1/2 cups vodka per pint. Be sure the plant material remains submerged during infusion.
Caution Regarding Homemade Herbal Remedies
I’ve been foraging wild medicines and treating my family with herbal remedies for the past 20 years, but I’m self-taught. Be aware that I am not a clinical herbalist, and this is based on my own research and personal experience using medicinal plants. I do not claim to have the experience that’d qualify me to advise you on your health, and I’m only providing this as a reference to encourage a broader interest in medicinal plants.
Please use this as a jumping-off point, but always do your own research and verify anything you read with multiple sources.
It’s always possible to have an adverse reaction to any medicinal herb, and plenty of people are allergic to even gentle herbs like chamomile. Always consult your doctor or a certified herbalist before trying any new medicinal plant. Often, they can have unintended reactions in combination with other herbs and supplements, and many herbs have side effects even when they are effective for their intended purpose.
If you are seriously interested in herbal medicine, I’d suggest investing in a course in herbal medicine, and I’d recommend any of the online courses put out by the Herbal Academy of New England. Specifically, the introduction to herbal medicine course and the family herbalist group of courses.
They also have a mushroom course, covering both medicinal and edible mushrooms, and a Botany and Wildcrafting Course. I’ve taken both and they’re informative, inspiring, and artfully presented.
Herbal Tinctures
Interested in making other homemade herbal tinctures?
- Yarrow Tincture
- Chickweed Tincture
- Elderberry Tincture
- Dandelion Tincture
- Burdock Tincture
- Echinacea Tincture
Herbal Medicine Making
Herbal medicines don’t stop at tinctures! Learn how to make more homemade medicine…
