Oregano and cranberry combat travellers' diarrhoea

The topic is gastroenteritis - also known as travellers' diarrhoea - caused by the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Many people will have holiday memories of this bacterium which infects through fish and shellfish. The symptoms are stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, and possibly fever for a couple of days.
In their quest for finding an effective remedy against the bacterium, American researchers at the University of Massachusetts have experimented their way into finding this unsual combination. Studies in which cod fillets and prunes were soaked in herbal extracts showed that the two ingredients were far more effective in killing off bacteria if combined than they were on their own. The researchers presume that the phenols in the two herbs destroy different parts of the bacterium. When adding a little lactic acid to the herbal extracts in order to lower the pH value, the effect was even stronger.
Oregano is already known for its bacteriostatic effect; it contains the mentioned phenols that inhibit bacterial growth. Cranberry also contains phenols and it is also known for being able to prevent bacteria from sticking to mucous membranes - this ability is particularly useful when it comes to preventing cystitis.
The discovery is believed to be important in food preservation.
Reference:
Lin YT, Labbe RG, Shetty K. Inhibition of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood systems using oregano and cranberry phytochemical synergies and lactic acid. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies 2005;6 (4): 453-458.