Lamiaceae – Lamiaceae (Labiatae).
Popular names: mainland, amulet, bee-lover, wind color.
Parts Used: Whole herb without roots. The selected material should not contain coarse stems, in which there is little active substance.
Pharmacy name: oregano herb – Origani herba (formerly: Herba Origani).
Botanical description.Perennial plant, 20-50 cm tall, with a reddish stem branched at the top. The plant is glandular-pubescent. Leaves arranged oppositely vary greatly in size (always smaller at the top). They are ovoid or elliptical in shape, their edges are mostly smooth. At the ends of the shoots there are bunches of numerous red or pink flowers within 5 mm in size. If you rub the flowers between your fingers, there is a smell that is a bit like the smell of thyme. Blooms from June to August. Oregano is native to the Mediterranean, but it also grows in southern Germany, and in Austria, and in Switzerland (generally throughout Central Europe) on calcareous and gravel soils in warm places, such as southern slopes and slopes, southern forest edges and upland meadows. . Collection and preparation. Collect all the grass during flowering. It is advisable to take only the upper parts of the plant. Air dry in the shade. The drying temperature must not exceed 35°C, otherwise the valuable essential oil will evaporate.
Active ingredients:essential oil, tannins and bitterness. Healing action and application. Medicinal plants containing tannins, bitterness and essential oil are a valuable remedy for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Disinfecting the digestive tract and stimulating the secretion of digestive juices go hand in hand; tannins act fixatively. Tea is used for all diseases. In addition, oregano plays an important role as an integral part of the breast collection, as it acts like thyme. Less common is the use of this medicinal plant as a gargle for sore throats and gums. According to the opinion of the German National Health Service, the therapeutic effect of oregano is not sufficiently confirmed, but I cannot subscribe to this negative conclusion, especially since there is no risk when taking it.
- Oregano tea: Pour 1/4 liter of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of oregano herb and strain after 10 minutes. Tea is used as a gastric and as a gargle for the throat and mouth. As a cough suppressant, tea is sweetened with honey and drunk warm in small sips.
Use as a condiment. Oregano is often characterized as a spice related to marjoram, but stronger. And this is no exaggeration. Suffice it to say that it has a very strong spicy taste. For a long time, oregano, exported from Italy, fell in love with us, because we adopted many dishes of Italian cuisine. What goes better with spaghetti with meat sauce than an aromatic spice? And tomato sauce with oregano can be given a special shade. And pizza without oregano is not real pizza; this spice is just made for her. Those who are not fond of Italian cuisine can try oregano with fried potatoes, fried meat or greens. Mixed with basil, supplemented with a very small amount of thyme and rosemary, it replaces salt in dietary dishes.
Application in folk medicine. The stomach, intestines, gallbladder and liver are the organs for which traditional medicine uses oregano, whether there is diarrhea with fermentation and bloating, loss of appetite, stomach pain or gallbladder disease. If there is something wrong in the stomach or it grumbles, give a cup of oregano tea, to which, on occasion, yarrow is added. Cough, asthma, whooping cough and chronic bronchitis are also treated with this oregano tea sweetened with honey (preparation described above). Additionally, with a decoction of the herb, baths are used, which, with bronchitis and whooping cough, enhance the effect of oregano. Where oregano grows, it is not difficult to collect it in large quantities.
- Bath with oregano: 100 g of oregano is poured into 1 liter of water, brought to a boil and infused for 10 minutes, after which it is filtered. The liquid is added to a bath filled with water.
A large role in folk medicine is given to oregano tea as a gargle for the throat and mouth. Oregano is often mixed with sage and chamomile, which I highly recommend. These three herbs should be present in the mixture in equal parts. Tea is prepared according to the already described recipe. The treatment of all types of wounds with a decoction of oregano is also practiced, although the use of chamomile is more effective here.
There will be no side effects if overdoses are avoided and not used orally during pregnancy.