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Oregano

Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), which is part of the lamiaceae or mint family, comprise several species. The most important species are O. vulgare (pan-European) O. onites (Greece Asia Minor) and O. heracleoticum (Italy, Balkan peninsula, West Asia). Wild oregano is an oil rich plant. Each oregano leaf contains hundreds of oil glands. Oil of oregano is rich in a variety of natural compounds. The main constituents of oregano are an essential oil which may contain variable amounts of phenols, carvacrol and thymol. Additionally, a variety of monoterpene hydrocarbons, such as limonene, terpinene, ocimene, caryophyllene, beta-bisabolene and p-cymene, as well as monoterpene alcohols, such as linalool and 4-terpineol, have been reported to be part of the essential oil derived from the oregano plant. The primary constituent of this oil is polyphenolic flavonoids. Of these, carvacrol and thymol are potent natural antiseptics. Carvacol and thymol work together with synergistic effect. The efficacy of carvacol and thymol in natural oil is more potent than synthetic types. Oregano oil is found to exert a high degree of anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-viral and antibacterial actions. Although the antimicrobial activity of carvacol and thymol is known and are the primary active ingredients, natural oil of oregano contains more than thirty compounds and synthetic reproduction of all these active compounds is problematic. In addition to containing essential oils, oregano is a rich source of a variety of vitamins and minerals, and is especially rich in vitamin C. Oregano contains large amounts of chlorophyll, itself a natural antiseptic. Numerous research reports prove that oregano is highly effective for killing a wide range of fungi, yeast and bacteria as well as parasites and viruses.

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