• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Oregano essential oils: saying arrivederci to parasitic disease on honeybees?

May 6, 2022
Aileen Yum-Chan, PharmD

Beekeepers have already observed mite resistance to synthetic acaricides.

Honeybees have faced increasing threats and one of the most pressing is varroosis, a parasitic disease caused by the Varroa destructor mite. Hives affected by high-grade viral infestations are at risk of colony collapse and acute paralysis or deformed wings among the hives’ bees in addition to a host of other issues. To protect and control mite populations, beekeepers have turned to medicinal products such as synthetic acaricides and organic acids.

Unfortunately, these treatment options have some harmful disadvantages. Beekeepers have already observed mite resistance to synthetic acaricides. Bees and drones have been shown to have shorter lifespans, fertility reduction, behavioral changes, and increased mortality following use of these treatments. Further, some chemicals can be found in the beehive products and accumulate to cause downstream negative effects for the hive.

Finding a better alternative to control V. destructor—that is, finding options that lack detrimental effects—is imperative.

Essential oils have shown promising microbial, antifungal, antiparasitic properties. Additionally, they are more environmentally friendly and are less likely to cause resistance in the mite population than some other treatment options.

A team of investigators from Italy have published a study in Veterinary Sciences that assessed the contact toxicity, fumigation efficacy, and repellent effect of origanum heracleoticum (oregano) essential oil against V. destructor mites. Green veterinary pharmacology like this is a growing movement globally.

Advertisement

Using contact and fumigation methods, the investigators found that the oregano essential oil was effective against adult female Varroa mites, with more favorable results from higher exposure time and concentration. They evaluated the mortality rate 1 hour after exposure, reaching 90.9% mortality.

But mites had no preference for wax treated with oregano essential oil versus wax that was untreated. The researchers indicate that for this reason, they observed no repellent activity for the oregano essential oil against the mites.

Overall, this study provided additional evidence of the importance of essential oils as a possible method for control of varroosis in bee populations. The most effective method of administration of the essential oils needs to be determined, so further study is needed.

Aileen Yum-Chan is a 2022 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy in Storrs.

Reference

Castagna F, Bava R, Piras C, et al. Green Veterinary Pharmacology for Honeybee Welfare and Health: Origanum heracleoticum L. (Lamiaceae) Essential Oil for the Control of the Apis mellifera Varroatosis. Vet Sci. 2022;9(3):124. doi:10.3390/vetsci9030124

Related Content:

ParasitologyIntegrative Medicine
Alternate therapies for pain management
Alternate therapies for pain management
Most important advice this veterinarian received in rehabilitative medicine
Most important advice this veterinarian received in rehabilitative medicine
Targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy for pets
Targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy for pets

Advertisement

Latest News

Can our Pride panel answer these LGBTQ+ trivia questions?

Creating inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in vet med

Happy Pride Month, Hill's launches Prescription Diet ONC Care, and more

CityVet Celina opens in Prosper, Texas

View More Latest News
Advertisement