05/02/2026
A 2020 peer-reviewed study in the journal Foods journal investigated how oregano (Origanum vulgare) extract affects melanoma (skin cancer) cells. In laboratory experiments using both mouse (B16-F10) and human (A375) melanoma cell lines, the extract significantly reduced tumor cell growth. At higher concentrations (10 mg/mL), melanoma cell viability dropped by about 73–84% within 24–48 hours, while healthy muscle cells were much less affected. This shows a level of selectivity—meaning the extract targeted cancer cells more strongly than normal cells. The oregano extract also disrupted the cancer cell cycle, stopping cells from dividing and pushing them toward cell death.
Mechanistically, the study found that oregano extract damages melanoma cells at multiple critical points. It increased oxidative stress inside the cancer cells, which in turn damaged mitochondria (the cell’s energy system) and caused loss of membrane potential. This triggered programmed cell death pathways—both apoptosis and necroptosis. At the same time, the extract caused DNA damage, confirmed by markers like γH2AX and 53BP1, and activated the tumor-suppressor protein p53. These effects were partly linked to interactions with copper ions inside cancer cells, which amplify oxidative damage. Importantly, the extract was not mutagenic in safety tests, suggesting it damages cancer cell DNA without causing harmful mutations in normal systems.
PMCID: PMC7603152 PMID: 33080917
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