Origanum Majorana Essential Oil - Research Paper Example

? Origanum Majorana Essential Oil This paper aims to provide explanation about Origanum Majorana Essential Oil so that it can be used for the treatment of surgical patients, especially those residing in intensive care unit. Medical professionals are required to use medicines which elevate the early recovery of patients and also play an important role in reducing pain. Origanum Majorana Essential oil is found effective in treating patients who have recently undergone surgery due to its analgesic and sedative properties. In addition to this it can also be used for the treatment of skin diseases and hair fall. Origanum Majorana Essential oil Introduction Operating in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), especially the surgical one requires medical professionals to demonstrate pain management and promote relaxation for quick and successful recovery of patients. Therefore some essential oils are used in order to fasten the overall recovery process of patients. Origanum Majorana Essential Oil is one of the them which is extracted from herbs; possessing relatively higher sedative, analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-fungal, anti-viral, expectorant, stimulant, disinfectant and calming effects (Marjoran, 2011). In this paper only one essential oil is discussed i.e. Origanum Majorana Oil with respect to the treatment of surgical ICU patients. Origanum Majorana is a Latin name for Marjoram which means ‘greater’ not because of some physical or chemical compositions but due to the ancient perception that the use of Origanum Majorana oil can increase lifespan of humans (Marjoram, 2012). This herb belongs to the family Lamiaceae. It has penetrating smell, slightly spicy taste and overall warm nature. Its chemical components include Thymol, Caryacrol, Pinenel, Camphor, Origanol, etc. The Origanum Majorana oil is extracted from its flowers. It is yellow in color and turns brown as it decomposes. It has some distinctive properties which makes it highly applicable for the treatment of surgical patients. These include (Marjoram, 2012): The oil has soothing and calming effect when consumed internally or when applied externally over the body. Its distinctive chemical composition helps in reducing stress. It provides relief to the muscle pain and throbbing. The oil has an ability to deal with the miseries of congestion and common cold. The warm and woody smell of the oil provides relaxation to human senses. Massage of Origanum Majorana releases pain during menstruation. It is also recommended for the treatment of insomnia as it regulates the functioning of nervous system. The oil is extensively used in body massage after sports. It provides warm effect to the body when used in hot bath. Description The Romans have categorized Origanum Majorana as the ‘herb of happiness’ and for the Greeks it was a key source of ‘joy to the mountains’ due to its sedative properties and an ability to reduce tension. Surgical patients experience tension before and after the surgery which is a natural phenomenon. However, the tension and emotional imbalance might lead to high blood pressure which can cause problems particularly during and after the surgery. Therefore it is the prime concern of medical professionals to reduce tension and mental stress of these patients. For this purpose several medicines and therapies are used. The application of Origanum Majorana essential oil over the body especially when patients are in the intensive care unit can bring effective results in the form of released tension which ultimately leads to their early recovery. In addition to this it is also helpful in releasing fatigued muscles and joints (Marjoram Relieves stress and anxiety, relaxes muscles, reduces hypertension, 2010). Origanum Majorana herbs are also used as a home remedy for the treatment of different diseases. Apart from this it is used in the preparation of special food items due to its fragrance and good flavor. Generally, concentrated Origanum Majorana essential oil is not consumed orally but it is appropriate for external application. Origanum Majorana is a fundamental source of providing polyphenols which act as natural antioxidants. It is extensively found in the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Asia, America and Europe. It is also commonly used for the treatment of nervous disorders and cardiovascular diseases (Al-Harbi, 2011). The oil is highly sedative in nature and therefore it is not recommended during pregnancy. Excess use of Marjoram oil causes drowsiness and it is responsible for influencing the normal activity of senses. The consumption of Origanum Majorana helps in digestion and therefore it was extensively used for cooking purposes in ancient times. In addition to this, the oil has one very distinctive property that it helps in reducing emotional stress and grief. However, its prolonged use for releasing stress might give rise to other significant issues including excess sleep, lack of concentration, loss of senses, etc. Due to its ability to reduce emotional stress and the properties of being anti-aphrodisiac, it has been used by the religious institutions in the past (Marjoram, 2012). In order to test the curing abilities of Origanum Majorana oil it has been used in several experiments. One similar experiment was conducted to evaluate its antibacterial activity on patients of conjunctivitis. Conjunctiva is a also known as eyelid conjunctiva which is a very thin membrane made up of mucous covering the surface of posterior eyelid and the anterior surface of eyeball. When the membrane is exposed to some harmful substances then the pathogenic microorganisms attack the surface of conjunctiva ultimately leading to infectious diseases often known as conjunctivitis. The Origanum Majorana essential oil was used for the treatment of conjunctivitis. Consequently it yielded positive results indicating its value in treating bacteria and other microorganisms. The essential oil reflected a noteworthy inhibitory effect over the viability of the eye cells. Hence it was concluded that the Origanum Majorana essential oil can be used in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of bacterial infections as it is a significant source of antimicrobial compounds (Jana Luiza Toscano Mendes de Oliveira, 2009). Patients often encounter serious bacterial infections due to the cuts that are made during surgery or because of body wounds which, if not treated on time can lead to severe consequences such as increased pain and recovery issues for patients. Therefore medical professionals dealing with such patients are required to formulate medicines which are highly effective in curing bacterial infections. This experiment provides substantial support to the idea of using the Origanum Majorana oil for the treatment of bacterial infections which might result during or after surgery. However, further study and experimentation is required to be done so as to indentify other abilities of Origanum Majorana essential oil (Jana Luiza Toscano Mendes de Oliveira, 2009). The unique features of Origanum Majorana oil make it applicable to a number of patients, especially those who have currently undergone surgery. These patients require rigorous attention from their nurses and attendants as they experience severe body pain and nervous tension. This often results in late recovery of patients and therefore the use of essential oils for their treatment is highly beneficial and gives effective results on immediate basis. Following is a brief description based upon different body functions which reveals how it reduces pain and gives relief to patients in Intensive Care Unit (Marjoram, 2012). Digestion During and after surgeries patients suffer severe digestive issues which effect the production of gastric juices as the patients are instructed to consume liquid food only. The Origanum Majorana oil is responsible to stimulate the production of carminative gastric juices. The oil manages the overall functioning and movements of stomach, facilitates digestion and improves the appetite of patients soon after the surgery. In addition to this it is also recommended to be used during constipations and flatulence. In case of severe constipation it is suggested to be consumed orally combined with honey, juice or water (Marjoran, 2011). Genito-Urinary For the patients of surgical intensive care unit urination is yet another issue. If urine is not excreted conveniently then it causes severe problems. The use of Origanum Majorana oil facilitates the easy excretion of urine and other body fluids. Apart from this it is also useful in easy flow of menstruation blood and for the treatment of cramps and leucorrhoea (Marjoram, 2012). Circulatory Patients of heart surgery are recommended to use the Origanum Majorana oil due to its effectiveness in dilating blood vessels. It can also be used during surgery because it is helpful in controlling blood pressure. Patients of hypertension must use Origanum Majorana oil so as to reduce the chances of stroke (Marjoram, 2012). Respiratory It has antiseptic properties which are required for the normal functioning of respiratory system especially of the ICU patients. It accommodates the expulsion of mucus and also treats cough. In addition to this the oil is suggested to be used during cold, asthma and bronchitis so as to relieve pain and give relaxation to the patients. It can be massaged over the neck, chest and lymph nodes so as to get better results (Marjoran, 2011). Muscles or joints Surgical patients are often subjected to severe muscular and joints pain due to prolonged resting and disturbance in overall body functioning. Origanum Majorana oil has distinctive analgesic properties which enables the oil to act as a painkiller, reduce muscular aches and rigidity. Due to this nature it is also used in the treatment of arthritis and lumbago. The most efficient way of using Origanum Majorana Essential oil so as to release muscular pain is to first dilute the oil in salt prior to adding it to the bath water. Additionally it can be massaged to the effected muscle or joint for availing its anti-spasmodic effects (Marjoran, 2011). Skin and hair The cuts made for the purpose of surgery and the body wounds can be treated with the use of Origanum Majorana oil as it acts as an antiseptic and immediately heels lesion. Apart from this it can also be used for chilblains and bruises (Marjoram, 2012). Emotions and mind It relieves tension and promotes mental comfort in surgical patients. It facilitates the functioning of nervous system and strengthens heads soon after the surgery. It is also used for the treatment of insomnia and headaches. Research indicates that patients using Origanum Majorana oil develops desire for longer life and therefore recovers comparatively earlier than those who do not use this oil. In addition to this it changes the overall mindset of people because when patients have relief from pain, early recovery and a will for longer life then they involuntarily start responding to the natural elements existing around them subsequently leading towards mind change (Marjoram, 2012). The use of essential oils such as the one extracted from Origanum Majorana is also found effective in treating hair loss and skin problems. In this regard a double blind randomized study was conducted with different male and female volunteers who verified affirmative biological effect of essential oils with the combination of pulsed electromagnetic field on the growth and regrowth of hairs. The impact of using essential oils was administered over the time period of 26 weeks. Results indicate 83% decrease in hair loss of volunteers and above 20% increase in hair count was identified in 53% patients. One of the most significant outcomes of the study was the confirmation of the fact that essential oils do not have any side effects. However, in some of the worst case scenarios they can significantly lower the activity of human senses (Bureau JP, 2003). This is yet another factor which makes Origanum Majorana essential oil applicable to the surgical patients, especially those who are residing in intensive care unit, because these patients cannot afford to have medicines which have significant side effects. Therefore the use of Origanum Majorana essential oil can prove beneficial for the early recovery of surgical patients. Conclusion Origanum Majorana is somewhat similar to Oregano. It is a low, bushy and permanent native to Asia but it is extensively used in Europe for food preservation and adding flavors. In Ancient Greek people used to place it over their ancestors’ grave so as to ensure their peaceful sleep. It was also used as a significant means of personal cleaning and purification. The essential oil extracted from plant’s flowers has a toxic chemical composition which is used in aromatherapy. In olden times it was typically served to those who had some mental or physical disability (Bashar Saad, 2011). Plants, herbs and their essential oils are being used for medical purposes since thousands of years. They are found to be highly effective in treating different diseases and wounds. Additionally they are found valuable in maintaining emotional balance and giving rise to positivity among humans. Surgical patients experience pains, wounds, emotional imbalance, etc. which can be treated through the use of Origanum Majorana essential oil due to its sedative and analgesic properties. Research indicates that this oil is used for several purposes, for instance, preservation of food, alternative medicine, natural therapy for some emotional problems and as a key ingredient in medicines treating pain, insomnia, etc. Recently several experiments were conducted to analyze the antimicrobial activity of this essential oil and the results reflect that it can be used for the treatment of bacterial infections as well (Basaran Dulger, 2004). References Al-Harbi, N. O. (2011). Effect of marjoram extract treatment on the cytological and biochemical changes induced by cyclophosphamide in mice. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5479-5485. Basaran Dulger, A. G. (2004). Antimicrobial Activity of Certain Plants used in Turkish Traditional Medicine. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 104-107. Bashar Saad, O. S. (2011). Greco-Arab and Islamic Herbal Medicine: Traditional System, Ethics, Safety, Efficacy, and Regulatory Issues. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Bureau JP, G. P. (2003). Essential oils and low-intensity electromagnetic pulses in the treatment of androgen-dependent alopecia. Advances in Therapy, 220-229. Jana Luiza Toscano Mendes de Oliveira, M. d. (2009). Effectiveness of Origanum vulgare L. and Origanum majorana L. essential oils in inhibiting the growth of bacterial strains isolated from the patients with conjunctivitis. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology. Marjoram. (2012). Retrieved Feb 23, 2013, from Oils and Plants. Marjoram Relieves stress and anxiety, relaxes muscles, reduces hypertension. (2010). Retrieved Feb 23, 2013, from doTerra Aromatics. Marjoran. (2011). Retrieved Feb 23, 2013, from Health from Nature. Read More