A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Study on the Efficacy of Oregano (Origanum Vulgare) Leaf Ointment on the Reduction of 24-hour Colony Forming Units of Staphylococcus Aureus in Infected Open Wounds of Children Aged 8-12 Years Old

Abstract

The practice of traditional medicine has been a vital part of Philippine medical practice, and, as a consequence, has led to innumerable researches conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) as to their role in the Filipino well-being. Out of the 10 named herbal plants studied by the department, oregano (Origanum vulgare) was chosen for its uses on the disorders of the skin, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract in the communities; and was therefore used in this study for the evaluation of its antimicrobial property, formulated as a leaf ointment against Staphylococcus aureus. OBJECTIVES: Specifically, this research aimed to determine a significant difference between the colony forming units (CFUs) on infected wounds treated with the placebo and oregano (Origanum vulgare) ointments. METHODOLOGY: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled research study was conducted to the 60 infected wounds of the students of Dona Juana Actub Lluch Memorial Central School and Ubaldo Laya Memorial Central School with respondents aging 8-12 years old. Pre-treatment wound swabbing was done for 24-hour microbial culture, from which CFUs were counted. Post-treatment swabbing was performed after 5 days of treatment and subsequent CFUs were obtained. Using 0.05 level of significance, Mann-Whitney Pairwise Comparison Test was used to determine the significant difference in CFU count reduction between the two treatments. Findings showed reduction of CFUs in both ointments with greater reduction of CFUs in wounds treated Oregano leaf ointment as compared to those with the placebo. Statistical analysis of the study revealed that there was a significant difference between Placebo and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) on the reduction of CFUs in a 24-hour bacterial culture of infected open wounds.