Oregano
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Origanum vulgare, a Mint family herb, native to the Mediterranean region and southwestern Europe (Baser, 2008), is now grown and cultivated on most continents under a variety of conditions—which can affect the specific constituents of its essential oils (Lukas, Schmiderer, & Novak, 2015; Singletary, 2010). Greece, Israel, and Turkey are known for producing high-quality Oregano essential oils (Lukas et al., 2015). Oregano leaves are used dry or fresh as a culinary herb to flavor pizza, fish, meat, vegetables, and baked goods (Singletary, 2010). The ancient Greeks and Romans used the leaves as an antiseptic and for treating skin sores, aching muscles, stomach aches, coughs, colds, and other respiratory diseases, and Oregano tea with wine for treating snake bites (Baser, 2008; Singletary, 2010). Studies have shown that the essential oils from Oregano have strong chemopreventive, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties (Grondona et al., 2014).
Historical Use
R. Eglesfeld’s Medical Botany, published in 1847, includes historical information on the use of Oregano. Oregano’s essential oils have been used to stimulate or increase menstrual flow (i.e., as an emmenagogue), to induce perspiration (as a diaphoretic), and, added to a liquid or lotion (liniment) for rubbing on the body, to relieve pain.
Latest Research
- Optimization of Combined Ultrasound and Microwave-Assisted Extraction for Enhanced Bioactive Compounds Recovery from Four Medicinal Plants: Oregano, Rosemary, Hypericum, and Chamomileby Konstantina Theodora Laina on December 17, 2024 at 11:00 am
This study presents the synergistic application of ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction (UAE-MAE) as a novel and efficient method for recovering bioactive compounds from the medicinal plants oregano, rosemary, Hypericum perforatum, and chamomile. Extraction parameters, including microwave (MW) power, ultrasound (US) power, and extraction time, were optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM), with ethanol as the solvent. Extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content…
- Antibacterial Properties of Bacterial Endophytes Isolated from the Medicinal Plant Origanum heracleoticum Lby Giulia Semenzato on March 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study highlights the diverse antagonistic activities of O. heracleoticum-associated endophytes against both Bcc and multidrug-resistant (MDR) human pathogens. These findings hold important implications for investigating bacterial endophytes of medicinal plants as new sources of antimicrobial compounds.
- Anti-inflammatory activity of essential oils from Tunisian aromatic and medicinal plants and their major constituents in THP-1 macrophagesby Renato B Pereira on April 22, 2023 at 10:00 am
In this study, the capacity of eight essential oils (EOs), sage (Salvia officinalis), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), black cumin (Nigella sativa), prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), oregano (Origanum vulgare) and wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba), on the inhibition of NF-κB activation was screened at concentrations up to 0.25 µL/mL using THP-1 human macrophages bearing a NF-κB reporter. This screening selected coriander,…
- Genomic, Molecular, and Phenotypic Characterization of Arthrobacter sp. OVS8, an Endophytic Bacterium Isolated from and Contributing to the Bioactive Compound Content of the Essential Oil of the Medicinal Plant Origanum vulgare Lby Giulia Semenzato on March 11, 2023 at 11:00 am
Medicinal plants play an important role in the discovery of new bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity, thanks to their pharmacological properties. However, members of their microbiota can also synthesize bioactive molecules. Among these, strains belonging to the genera Arthrobacter are commonly found associated with the plant’s microenvironments, showing plant growth-promoting (PGP) activity and bioremediation properties. However, their role as antimicrobial secondary metabolite…
- Anticholinesterase Activity of Selected Medicinal Plants from Navarra Region of Spain and a Detailed Phytochemical Investigation of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. vulgareby María Pilar de Torre on October 27, 2022 at 10:00 am
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment due to a severe loss of cholinergic neurons in specific brain areas. It is the most common type of dementia in the aging population. Although many anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) drugs are already available on the market, their performance sometimes yields unexpected results. For this reason, research works are ongoing to find potential anti-AChE agents both from natural and…
References
Baser, K. H. (2008). Biological and pharmacological activities of carvacrol and carvacrol-bearing essential oils. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 14(29), 3106–3119. doi:10.2174/138161208786404227
Grondona, E., Gatti, G., Lopez, A. G., Sanchez, L. R., Rivero, V., Pessah, O., . . . Ponce, A. A. (2014). Bio-efficacy of the essential oil of oregano (Origanum vulgare Lamiaceae. Ssp. Hirtum). Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 69(4), 351–357. doi:10.1007/s11130-014-0441-x
Lukas, B., Schmiderer, C., & Novak, J. (2015). Essential oil diversity of European Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae). Phytochemistry, 119, 32–40. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.09.008
Singletary, K. (2010). Oregano: overview of the literature on health benefits. Nutrition Today, 45(3), 129–138.
Other Resources
Natural Medicines record: Oregano. (Access to UI only)