OREGANO
European oregano is a hardy perennial herb with erect, more or less hairy, branching stems and hairy leaves. The herb can grow to over 2 feet tall, and is acrid and pungent with a strong, sage-like aroma somewhat reminiscent of thyme. A pleasant, minty-smelling plant, marjoram, or wild marjoram, can be added to fish and meat dishes for its thyme like taste. Do not confuse it with O. heracleoticum, a more pungent herb that is packaged as oregano or Greek oregano, or with another common kitchen herb, sweet marjoram. Both the botanical name Origanum and the alternative common name oregano derive from the Greek words oros ("mountain") and ganos ("joy"), or "joy of the mountain." Its vivid purplish flowers so gaily adorn the hilly Mediterranean landscape that the plant became a symbol of happiness. When the Greeks saw the herb spring up on a grave, they believed it meant that the deceased was happy in the afterlife. At both Greek and Roman marriages, the wedding couple wore wild marjoram wreaths to symbolize the joyful event. In medieval times the herbalists prescribed the herb's oil for toothache. In the 16th and 17th centuries herbalists recommended the plant for internal use to aid digestion, as a diuretic, and as an antidote for venomous bites; and for external use to relieve itching. PARTS USED Aerial parts, essential oil. USES Oregano helps to settle flatulence and stimulates the flow of bile. Strongly antiseptic, oregano may be taken to treat respiratory conditions such as coughs, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and asthma. Oregano is also considered to be a useful promoter of menstruation. The diluted oil can be applied externally to toothache or painful joints.
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