By Emma Nicholson, BSc

Name of ingredient

Oil of oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Applications

Oil of oregano is taken orally to treat cold and flu viruses and applied topically to treat fungal and other types of skin infections.

Regulations

Oil of oregano is considered a natural health product (NHP) with a medicinal role. In 2012, Health Canada changed the restrictions for oregano oil, allowing an oral intake of up to 0.27 mcg/kg body weight per day. If daily exposure of carvacrol exceeds 0.23 mcg/kg body weight per day from oil of oregano in the absence of safety evidence, the oil can’t be considered a non-medicinal ingredient. Health Canada will license products with carvacrol levels at or below the safety levels, with risk statements on their labels.

Sources/Origin

Derived from the leaves of Origanum vulgare native to Asia and Europe.

Benefits

Carvacrol, a phenolic compound in oregano, has been found to be antimicrobial against various types of bacteria. It is also antifungal, antitoxigenic, insecticidal, antiparasitic and antiviral.

Format

Oil, capsules, soft gels and tinctures

Current research

Oil of oregano is possibly effective against intestinal parasites. In a study of patients with parasites Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba hartmanni and Endolimax nana, oil of oregano was found to either completely eliminate or decline cases of parasites in most participants when administered orally. Based on studies in the lab, oil of oregano may be a useful topical fungal treatment. In vitro studies have found it prevents the growth of Candida albicans, a yeast-like fungus that causes infections in humans. Further studies have found it to be a potent food spoilage inhibitor of the fungus Aspergillus niger. Oil of oregano’s antimicrobial properties may help with the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli. A series of in vivo chicken and in vitro experiments found oil of oregano to be active against E. coli, prompting the suggestion that it may have similar effects against E.coli-related infections. Although there is less supporting evidence, research on diabetic rats suggests the extract could be antihyperglycemic without affecting insulin secretion, and therefore a possible treatment for diabetes in humans.

Argan oil is the hottest new beauty buy

By Noa Glouberman

Forget oil-free—the new beauty philosophy includes oils that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Derived from natural plant concentrates, argan oil is being touted as the newest saviour for skin and hair.

What is it? Argan oil (Argania spinosa) is produced from the kernels of the argan tree, which grows wild in Morocco. The argan tree thrives in semi-arid soil with nut-sized fruits that contain one to three argan oil-rich kernels. It is rare oil due to the tree’s very specific growing areas and the tree’s use by locals for wood. (The rising popularity of argan oil in North America has prompted the Moroccan government to no longer allow cutting them down, and plans for increased production of oil aim to triple annual output by 2020.)

Is it new? No. It was first reported by explorers in the 1500s, and was taken to Europe in the 1700s. But use as a beauty aid is relatively new in North America. “Several companies from Europe have been using argan oil in their products for at least 15 years, particularly in France, since it was introduced as an established, popular product in much of North Africa,” states Pascal Frochisse, president of Distripharm in Saint-Bruno, Quebec. His company uses argan oil in its Nafha French organic products.

What is it in? Argan oil is traditionally used for food, but was launched in North America as a hair care ingredient and is now expanding into body care. For hair, it is packaged as a smoothing oil ── just a few drops is placed on dry hair to increase lustre and shine –– or as one ingredient within shampoos and conditioners. For skin, it is found in body moisturizers and anti-aging creams. “Our main line of skin products and hair conditioners contains argan oil, and we recently launched a new beauty brand called African Essentials that also contains the ingredient,” says Jérôme Vignols, president of Flash Beauté Inc. in Laval, Quebec. Distripharm uses the ingredient within its anti-ageing and moisturizing facial creams along with other oils and extracts, and as a pure oil product for skin.

What does it do? Argan oil is said to help repair damaged hair and heal a dry scalp. For skin, it may reduce acne, aid in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema, soften scar tissue, and even diminish premature wrinkles and age spots. Beauty products include argan oil because of its ability to treat dull, dry skin and hair according to Vignol. (Health benefits of consuming argan kernel oil have been reported to include lowering cholesterol and protecting against tumours due to its antioxidants.)

What makes it work? This oil boasts nearly three times the amount of vitamin E as olive oil. It also contains essential fatty acids, arotenoids, ferulic acid, sterols, polyphenols, carotenes, and squalene. All of these elements are known to help heal skin, reduce inflammation and fend off free radicals. (The antioxidant phenols in argan oil are caffeic acid, oleuropein, tyrosol, catechol, resorcinol, epicatechin and catechin.)

How quickly does it work? The fast-absorbing properties of argan oil enable its benefits to be seen instantly, especially if you have dry skin or hair that’s been damaged by a cold climate, chlorine or colour treatments. It gives immediate smoothness and brilliance to hair when applied as oil on dry or wet hair.

What makes it unique? One advantage compared with other oils is that argan has a fairly dry and silky, rather than heavy, finish. When applied to your body, it doesn’t leave a greasy residue on skin.

Why buy it? The number of cosmetics containing argan oil on the U.S. market increased from two in 2007 to over 100 in 2011. A September 2012 search for “pure argan oil” on Amazon.com yielded over 500 items in the beauty department alone. One hair treatment by the brand Moroccan Oil has spent nearly 900 days on Amazon’s top 100 best-selling beauty products.

Are there different qualities or grades? To date, the most popular and promoted brand of argan-based oil is Moroccan Oil, but it includes silicone and linseed extract. Other brands are available that do not have these additional ingredients. Some methods of extraction use more processing and even use argan kernels that are left behind after goats have ingested the fruit and the seed is defecated. However, the highest quality brands use unrefined, certified organic oil extracted only from kernels of fallen fruits that are separated, sundried and hand-crushed by women using traditional methods with stones.

What do consumers think? “It’s new for us to work with argan oil, but the comments from customers have been very good,” Vignols says. “Even at trade shows where people are trying the testers and look for immediate results, they really like the product.”

Name of ingredient

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Applications

An alternative to synthetic drugs for acute or chronic pain such as osteoarthritis and pain-related insomnia.

History

Throughout history, various cultures have used herbs to treat pain. Today the mechanisms of action of many of these herbs have been elucidated, and not surprisingly, these are similar to the mechanism of synthetic drugs. The main difference between a drug and an herbal medicine is that the drug usually consists of a single pure ingredient, whereas the herb consists of a blend of active ingredients.

Sources/Origin

Must be a standardized extract from dried herb tops to be effective.

Benefits

The herb’s pain relief benefits are derived from its multiple ingredients, usually acting through different pain relief pathways (i.e., anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic). The relatively lower dose of the ingredients, along with the multiple activities, is usually what gives the herb its safety profile and efficacy.

Dosage required to be effective

Wampole Vitalis Nightime Relief with California poppy contains 500mg of a standardized extract equivalent to 2.5g of California poppy (dried herb top) per capsule.

Format

Capsules

Side effects

Given its potency, California poppy should be used with caution and certainly always in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended use and risk statements (i.e., cautions, warnings). It is important to look for products that are approved by Health Canada, as this tells you that the dose levels have been determined to be safe. If you are taking medication, talk to a health professional, as these herb extracts will contain ingredients that have pharmacological properties similar to those of synthetic drugs; the combination of herb and drug may result in side effects.

Regulations

Natural Health Product

Current research

In conventional medicine, rapid and effective pain relief can be obtained using a combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as Ibuprofen, analgesic drugs such as acetaminophen or narcotic (ex.: hydromorphone) and, or, muscle relaxants drugs. Clinical trials and medical practice has shown that this pharmacological-based approach to pain management can be effective. However, there are limitations to pain relief even with prescription medications. For example, replacing a mild narcotic pain killer with a stronger opiate (e.g., morphine) may relieve the pain, yet it may also result in intolerable side effects. This is where the herbal approach could offer some advantages, using similar strategies such as blocking the pain signal with herbs that offer anti-inflammatory, analgesic and muscular relaxant properties,  though with fewer side effects.

Extracts of the secondary root of devil’s claw have been tested in many clinical trials, including controlled clinical trials in patients with arthritis and low back pain. It is a very effective anti-inflammatory and analgesic herb. California poppy is an analgesic and sedative-hypnotic herb that is an excellent pain-relief remedy. Part of its pharmacological activity is derived from ingredients that act on the same pharmacological sites in the body that are targeted by analgesic or sedative synthetic drugs. These properties can be exploited to develop effective remedies for pain relief and pain-related insomnia. Devil’s claw and California poppy in combination make very good remedies for pain relief, as they act on both anti-inflammatory and analgesic targets.