Drug & supplement interaction

Oregano + Simvastatin

Simvastatin brand name: Zocor.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Oregano and Simvastatin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Oregano and Simvastatin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Simvastatin and Oregano in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Oregano safety at a glance

Oregano overall Use caution Safe as a food, but concentrated oregano oil supplements are stronger and less studied.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally in medicinal amounts. Oregano is thought to have abortifacient and emmenagogue effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Use caution Stick to normal food amounts; safety of supplements while breastfeeding is not established.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Pharmacist analysis

Oregano (and oregano oil) supplements are generally considered safe and there is no indication that there is an interaction between the drug highlighted in this interaction monograph and oregano.

However, as with all supplements, it is important to talk to your doctor before starting anything new, so you can be appropriately monitored.

In terms of drug interactions that have been reported with oregano, below are some examples.

Anticoagulant; Antiplatelet Drugs

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs work by slowing down or preventing blood clotting. While they are essential medications for individuals with certain conditions, they come with an increased risk of bleeding.

Some studies have reported that oregano oil may also increase the risk of bleeding, as it contains compounds that have antithrombin activity and can inhibit platelet aggregation.

Therefore, taking oregano oil along with anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs may increase the risk of bleeding, bruising, and other adverse effects.

Anti-Diabetic Drugs

Several studies suggest that oregano supplements may help lower blood glucose (i.e., sugar) levels. In vitro and animal research has shown that oregano extracts might stimulate glucose uptake and reduce blood glucose levels.

Therefore, based on the available evidence, combining oregano oil with antidiabetic drugs could potentially cause blood sugar levels to drop too low, leading to hypoglycemia.

However, it is important to note that studies reporting that oregano can reduce blood glucose levels have not reported it causing hypoglycemia.

References

  • Anti-hyperglycaemic activity of the aqueous extract of Origanum vulgare growing wild in Tafilalet region. PubMed
  • Inhibitory effect of clonal oregano extracts against porcine pancreatic amylase in vitro. PubMed
  • Antithrombin activity of some constituents from Origanum vulgare. PubMed
  • Comparative screening of plant essential oils: phenylpropanoid moiety as basic core for antiplatelet activity. PubMed

—

Still wondering about combining Simvastatin and Oregano? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Simvastatin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Simvastatin is filed under 8 classifications — including hmg-coa reductase inhibitors ("statins"), organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates (oatp), glucuronidated drugs. Oregano has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) and antidiabetes drugs (moderate) — and none of Simvastatin’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Oregano Does Interact With Other Medications

Oregano has 208 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Simvastatin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 208 No known interaction 2,622 (incl. Simvastatin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oregano

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Oregano. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Oregano and Simvastatin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oregano

    “Orally, oregano is well tolerated when used in amounts typically found in foods. There is currently a limited amount of information available about the safety of oregano when used in larger amounts as medicine.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Gastrointestinal upset.

    Topically: Dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in sensi…”

    Oregano · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    Simvastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Simvastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oregano

    “Systemic allergic reactions have been reported with oregano. A 45-year-old male developed pruritus, respiratory difficulty, hypotension, swelling of the lips and tongue, and facial edema after ingesting pizza seasoned with oregano. He had 2 similar episodes after ingesting foods seasoned with thyme, another member of the Lamiaceae family.”

    Oregano · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypotension.

    1 source cited
    1. 3705. Benito M, Jorro G, Morales C, et al. Labiatae allergy: systemic reactions due to ingestion of oregano and thyme. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1996;76:416-8. PubMed

    Simvastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Simvastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Oregano

    Recorded for Oregano in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction above.

    Simvastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Simvastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching / Swelling Additional detail

    Oregano

    Recorded for Oregano in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under An allergic reaction above.

    Simvastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Simvastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Oregano but not commonly for Simvastatin: low blood pressure and a skin rash.

Effects for Simvastatin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Oregano come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 261,345 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Simvastatin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Oregano in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in medicinal amounts. Oregano is thought to have abortifacient and emmenagogue effects.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Simvastatin Is Prescribed For, and What Oregano Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Simvastatin is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Oregano is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Simvastatin is prescribed for: Simvastatin tablets are used alongside a cholesterol-lowering diet to treat high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), high triglycerides, and certain inherited cholesterol disorders, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in adults and children aged 10 and older, and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) in adults. In adults who already have coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes and are at high risk for heart events, simvastatin is also used to reduce the risk of death from heart disease, non-fatal heart attack, stroke, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. Zocor is one brand-name product containing simvastatin and carries these same indications.

Oregano has been studied for:

  • Diabetes studied, not established Oregano has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Oregano for diabetes

    Although there has been interest in using oral oregano for diabetes, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of oregano for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Simvastatin on your own; if you are taking Oregano for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Oregano or Simvastatin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Oregano or Simvastatin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Simvastatin

This page covers Oregano only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Simvastatin page lists 183 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 8 major · 139 moderate · 36 minor.

Open the Simvastatin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Oregano as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,632 real supplement products containing Oregano, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oregano. Even though Oregano itself has no known interaction with Simvastatin, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Oregano and Simvastatin Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Oregano
Top 25%

#146 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Simvastatin
Top half

#1,082 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Oregano reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Oregano and Simvastatin records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Oregano

What is Oregano?

Oregano
  • Digestive upset
  • Respiratory and cold symptoms
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Intestinal parasites
  • Skin and fungal concerns

Oregano is a common Mediterranean cooking herb that is also sold as a concentrated oil or supplement, often standardized for a compound called carvacrol. While lab studies suggest it may have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, strong human evidence for treating any specific health condition is limited. Used as a food, oregano is very safe; concentrated oregano oil supplements should be used cautiously and discussed with your pharmacist or doctor.

Origanum vulgare · Lamiaceae · Leaves and essential oil · Culinary herb, tea, capsules, softgels, liquid oil (oil of oregano), tinctures

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Oregano is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Oregano record says about it on its own.

Oregano: dosing

There is no official, well-established dose for oregano supplements. Products vary widely in strength and in how much carvacrol they contain, so it is hard to compare them.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Oregano monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Oregano monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Simvastatin

What Is Simvastatin Used For?

Brand name: Zocor

Simvastatin tablets are used alongside a cholesterol-lowering diet to treat high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), high triglycerides, and certain inherited cholesterol disorders, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in adults and children aged 10 and older, and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) in adults.

In adults who already have coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes and are at high risk for heart events, simvastatin is also used to reduce the risk of death from heart disease, non-fatal heart attack, stroke, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. Zocor is one brand-name product containing simvastatin and carries these same indications.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Simvastatin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (263,006 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 14,524 reports
Nausea 14,119 reports
Dyspnea 13,226 reports
Diarrhea 12,591 reports
Dizziness 11,830 reports
See full Simvastatin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oregano

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Oregano — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
208Moderate
0Minor
2,621No known interaction
208 Moderate 2,621 No interaction
Moderate

208 interactions

Showing 60 of 208 moderate interactions — see all 208 on the Oregano page.

No interaction 2,621 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Oregano against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,621 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oregano list.

See the full Oregano interactions page
See every supplement checked against Simvastatin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Oregano References

The 12 references that drive our Oregano monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  2. Benito M, Jorro G, Morales C, et al. Labiatae allergy: systemic reactions due to ingestion of oregano and thyme. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1996;76:416-8. PubMed
  3. Chevallier A. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, NY: DK Publ, Inc., 2000.
  4. Ciganda C, and Laborde A. Herbal infusions used for induced abortion. J Toxicol.Clin Toxicol. 2003;41:235-239. PubMed
  5. Futrell, J. M. and Rietschel, R. L. Spice allergy evaluated by results of patch tests. Cutis 1993;52(5):288-290.
  6. Tognolini, M., Barocelli, E., Ballabeni, V., Bruni, R., Bianchi, A., Chiavarini, M., and Impicciatore, M. Comparative screening of plant essential oils: phenylpropanoid moiety as basic core for antiplatelet activity. Life Sci. 2-23-2006;78(13):1419-1432. PubMed
  7. Goun, E., Cunningham, G., Solodnikov, S., Krasnykch, O., and Miles, H. Antithrombin activity of some constituents from Origanum vulgare. Fitoterapia 2002;73(7-8):692-694. PubMed
  8. Lemhadri, A., Zeggwagh, N. A., Maghrani, M., Jouad, H., and Eddouks, M. Anti-hyperglycaemic activity of the aqueous extract of Origanum vulgare growing wild in Tafilalet region. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;92(2-3):251-256. PubMed
  9. McCue, P., Vattem, D., and Shetty, K. Inhibitory effect of clonal oregano extracts against porcine pancreatic amylase in vitro. Asia Pac.J Clin.Nutr. 2004;13(4):401-408.
  10. Ragi, J., Pappert, A., Rao, B., Havkin-Frenkel, D., and Milgraum, S. Oregano extract ointment for wound healing: a randomized, double-blind, petrolatum-controlled study evaluating efficacy. J.Drugs Dermatol. 2011;10(10):1168-1172.
  11. Singletary K. Oregano: overview of the literature on health benefits. Nutrition Today 2010;45(3):129-38.
  12. Silva MLAE, Lucarini R, Dos Santos FF, et al. Hypoglycemic effect of rosmarinic acid-rich infusion (RosCE) from Origanum vulgare in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Nat Prod Res 2022;36(17):4525-4531.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Oregano and Simvastatin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Oregano with Simvastatin?
We do not list a known interaction between Oregano and Simvastatin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Oregano and Simvastatin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Oregano and Simvastatin used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Oregano in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Simvastatin is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Oregano and Simvastatin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Simvastatin is filed under 8 classifications, and Oregano has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Simvastatin's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Oregano interact with any other medications?
Yes. Oregano has 208 documented drug interactions in our database — Simvastatin is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Simvastatin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Simvastatin has documented interactions with 183 supplements in our database — Oregano is not one of them. The Simvastatin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Oregano monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Simvastatin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Simvastatin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Simvastatin, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 12 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Simvastatin and Oregano?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.