Perennial herb of the Labiate family,
up to 90 cm in height, with a highly branched rhizome.
It has a pleasant scent reminiscent of thyme.
Rhizome is brown branched, creeping. The stem is straight,
tetrahedral, soft-haired, branched at the top.
Petiole leaves, opposite, oblong-ovate,
dark green with translucent glands. Flowers
small, fragrant, reddish purple or mauve,
collected at the ends of the branches in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence.
The fruit consists of four hairless, brown or brown
nuts sitting in a cup. Blooms in July – August,
fruits ripen in August – September. Propagated by seed
and vegetatively.
Oregano is widespread in the European part of the CIS, in the Caucasus,
in Western and Central Siberia, Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Usually grows
in groups of several plants on sandy loam and loamy dry
and fresh soils in coniferous and mixed forests, on their edges, glades
and clearings.
Useful properties of oregano
Raw oregano seeds contain (in 100 g):
Calories 271 Kcal
Vitamin
B4 43,6 Calcium, Ca 1990 Vitamin
B3 4,12 Potassium, K 1522 Vitamin E 1,69 Magnesium, Mg 346 Vitamin
B6 1,19 Phosphorus,
P 306 Vitamin
B2 0,316 Iron,
Fe 82,71
Full composition
Oregano contains essential oil (0,5-1%), which contains
includes phenol, thymol and its isomer carvacrol and tricyclic
sesquiterpenes, tannins, pigments, ascorbic
acid – in flowers 166 mg%, in leaves 565 mg% and stems
58 mg%.
Oregano has a high antibacterial activity,
has a calming effect on the central nervous system,
normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract
and enhances intestinal peristalsis, has a choleretic,
anti-inflammatory and diuretic action. Drugs
oregano is prescribed for neuroses, hysteria, insomnia,
epilepsy, hypertension, atherosclerosis, with
neurotic complaints in the climacteric period, spasms
stomach and intestines, intestinal atony, chronic gastritis,
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum,
diseases of the liver and gallbladder.
In Bulgaria, the aboveground part of oregano, collected during
flowering, recommended for stomach and intestinal cramps,
with nervous excitement, painful menstruation, with
increased sexual excitability, as well as diseases
liver, jaundice. Strong oregano herb tea causes
profuse sweating. Oregano herb finds uses
for eczema in the form of baths, as well as for washing wounds (100
g of raw materials for 2 liters of boiling water; the resulting infusion is added
to the bath water).
With bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, bronchial
asthma is shown as a strong diaphoretic and expectorant,
water infusion of oregano herb (2 tablespoons of chopped
herbs for 2 cups of boiling water, drink in 3 divided doses for 30
minutes before meals).
Infusion of oregano is recommended to drink for epilepsy for
3 years (2 tablespoons of chopped raw materials for 1/2 cup boiling water,
insist 2-3 hours).
In folk medicine, oregano herb is used for colds
diseases, sore throat, cough, suffocation, pulmonary tuberculosis,
angina pectoris, hypertension, epilepsy, diathesis, diseases
stomach and intestines, scrofula, hyperexcitability,
delayed menstruation, liver and biliary diseases
bladder as a sedative and hypnotic.
Infusion of herbs in the form of baths, washings, lotions and wet
compresses are used for rickets, scrofula, itching
rashes, boils and other skin conditions. Dry worn
leaves and flower tops sniff with a cold and head
pain, a decoction of herbs wash the head with dandruff and hair loss
hair.
The aerial part can be used as a spice when
pickling vegetables, mushrooms,
cooking kvass. Can serve as a substitute
hops in brewing. It is used to infuse vodka.
The essential oil is suitable for soap perfume production
cheap varieties of cologne and eau de toilette. Leaves are applied
in the manufacture of sausages and as a surrogate for tea.
How dye is used to make black
and brown paints. Flowers color the wool orange-red
color. Fatty oil obtained from seeds is suitable for
use in the paint and varnish industry. For protection
from moths, oregano shift clothes, rub the hives.
Medonos,
honey productivity – 100 kg / ha. Fodder for goats, sheep,
horses, roe deer. An ornamental plant that can
used to create contrasting spots in parks.
Cultivated. The yield of the aboveground mass in natural
conditions – up to 13,5 c / ha of air-dry raw materials, in conditions
crops – 20-71 centners / ha of fresh raw materials.
Dangerous properties of oregano
Oregano is contraindicated in pregnancy, as it causes a spasm.
uterus, which can cause miscarriage.
Excessive regular consumption of oregano tea can lead to
to male impotence.
It is also not recommended to eat oregano in food for people suffering from
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, high acidity
stomach, ulcer,
gastritis, cardiovascular disease, hepatic or renal
colic or hypersensitivity, as it can exacerbate
of these diseases.
Also, people with hypertension are not recommended to take
aroma baths using oregano oil.
From this video you will learn not only the medicinal properties of oregano and contraindications to its use, but also the recipe for medicinal tea from this plant.
