Oregano – In Chinese Medicine

When I was studying naturopathy we needed to take two semesters of Chinese medicine. 

The fact that the entire way that they view the world is so different from how we see things in the west was amazing to me. I must admit that I am sorry that I haven't done much to preserve that knowledge, and I don't remember it well. 

Just recently I started going through a book called “the energetics of western herbs”. Actually it is a two book series explaining the Chinese way of seeing the medicinal functions of western herbal medicines. 

I am sure that I will find a lot more to share with you from these books but today I feel it appropriate to start with oregano. 

First off, oregano is a great therapeutic herb that most of us already have in our house. 

An important note
I never use dry oregano spice for medicinal purposes, I will always at least use a fresh herb if I am not buying medicinal grade oregano. But with that said even what you have in your spice cabinet can be used medicinally. 

What is very interesting is that oregano is classified in Chinese medicine as a draining herb. 

From what I understood, the idea of a draining is that it causes the movement of Qi. 

More specifically oregano is right to promote the circulation of lung Qi and help to open the chest. This goes in accordance with what we know from Western herbal medicine that oregano, more specifically oregano oil is helpful in the treatment of upper respiratory tract issues. 

In the east, they would say that you can use oregano to treat lung Qi constraint, and cold and dampness (phlegm) in the lungs. 

The way that they see it is, good health is the balanced flow of Qi in the body. Pain, inflammation and infection are caused by a stagnation of the Qi in the body. 

If you don't understand what Qi is then you should just watch stare wars. Qi is the eastern understanding of the FORCE.

At least that's the way that I see it. 

In western herbal medicine oregano oil is very popular for the treatment of intestinal parasites. But because the herb contains a high percentage of essential oils (about 2%) the use of the herb itself could be useful as well. 

Also because of the high level of essential oils oregano should be very effective for helping to clear the lung while working as an expectorant. 

The antimicrobial effects of oregano are one of the reasons it is one of the herbs used in the four thieves vinegar.