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Oregano has been cultivated for both culinary and medicinal effects in the Mediterranean for thousand of years.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare ) is a perennial herb of the mint family of plants and is native to northern Europe. In ancient Greek and Roman cultures the herb was regarded as a symbol of joy and happiness, and it was traditional to crown a bride and groom with laurels of oregano. Its name is derived from the Greek words oros (mountain), and ganos (joy).

Oregano has been used as an herbal remedy to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. The main constituients are the phenolic compounds carvacrol and thymol, two powerful antimicrobial agents.

Health Benefits of Oregano

Intestinal and Urinary Parasites 600 mg oregano oil extract was orally administered for 6-weeks to 14 patients who had tested positive for the intestinal parasites Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba hartmanni and Endolimax nana. After the 6 week treatment there was complete disappearance of Entamoeba hartmanniin 4 cases, Endolimax nana in 1 case, and Blastocystis hominis in 8 cases. Gastrointestinal symptoms also improved in 7 of the 11 patients who had tested positive for Blastocystis hominis. Oregano extract immobilized all of the furcocercariae (parasitic larva) of Schistosoma haematobium exposed to the extract within 15 min. Schistosoma haematobium are parasites found in the urinary bladder. Mexican oregano (Lipia beriandieri) extract has been shown in vitro to be effective against the giardia parastite, and superior to tinidazol which is a drug of common use in the treatment of giardiasis.

Anti Fungal The inhibitory effects of 10 selected Turkish spices, including oregano, towards growth of 9 food borne fungi were investigated. Of the spices tested, only oregano showed effect on all fungi. Oregano essential oil and it’s ingredients thymol and carvacrol at concentrations of 0.025% and 0.05% completely inhibited the growth of all fungi. The oil of oregano is a potent inhibitor of yeast, including Candida albicans. Some essential oils and their main constituents were evaluated in-vitro against a strain ofCandida albicans. The essential oil of Origanum vulgare was one of 5 oils that showed maximum inhibitory activity against Candida albicans after 7 days.

Antioxidants The culinary herbs oregano, sage, peppermint, garden thyme, lemon balm, clove, allspice and cinnamon all contain very high concentrations of antioxidants and intake of herbs may contribute significantly to the total intake of plant antioxidants, and may be an even better source of dietary antioxidants than many other food groups such as fruits, berries, cereals and vegetables.

Nutrient Values of Dried Oregano per 100g
Calories 306kcal	Energy Value 1280kj	Total Fat 10.25g	Carbohydrates 64.43g	Sugars 4.09g
Dietary Fiber 42.8g	Protein 11.00g	Sodium 15mg	Zinc 4.43mg	Potassium 1669mg
Iron 44.00mg	Magnesium 4.667mg	Copper 0.943mg	Calcium 1576mg	Vitamin C 50.0mg
Vitamin E 18.86mg	Vit. B3 (Niacin) 6.220mg	Vitamin B6 1.210mg	Vit. B1 (Thiamin) 0.341mg	Vit. B2 (Riboflavin) 0.320mg

References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.
2. Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
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5. Dragland S, Senoo H, Wake K, Holte K, Blomhoff R. Several culinary and medicinal herbs are important sources of dietary antioxidants. J Nutr. 2003 May;133(5):1286-90. PMID: 12730411.
6. Force M, Sparks WS, Ronzio RA. Inhibition of enteric parasites by emulsified oil of oregano in vivo. Phytother Res. 2000 May;14(3):213-4. PMID: 10815019.
7. Lahlou M. Potential of Origanum compactum as a cercaricide in Morocco. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2002 Sep;96(6):587-93. PMID: 12396321.
8. Ponce-Macotela M, Navarro-Alegr�a I, Mart�nez-Gordillo MN, Alvarez-Chac�n R. [In vitro effect against Giardia of 14 plant extracts]. Rev Invest Clin. 1994 Sep-Oct;46(5):343-7. PMID: 7839013.
9. Tampieri MP, Galuppi R, Macchioni F, Carelle MS, Falcioni L, Cioni PL, Morelli I. The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components. Mycopathologia. 2005 Apr;159(3):339-45. PMID: 15883716.
10. Stiles JC et al.  The inhibition of Candida albicans by oregano, J Applied Nutr 1995; 47:96-102.