Oregano and Marjoram:
An Herb Society of America Guide to the Genus Origanum
Other Uses
The oils of both O. majorana and O. vulgare are
used commercially to scent soaps, lotions and perfumes/colognes
(16, 67, 69).
Origanum species have also demonstrated an ability to combat
various pests. In Southern France, O. vulgare has been used
to protect stored kidney beans from the bean weevil
(Acanthoscelides obtectus) (3, 12), and a recent study
supports this traditional use, showing that O. vulgare subsp.
hirtum is toxic to the bean weevil through both direct
contact and fumigation (3). Vapors of the essential oil of
O. syriacum var. bevanii are reportedly toxic to the
confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum), the Mediterranean
flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella), the carmine spider mite
(Tetranychus cinnabarinus) and the cotton aphid
(Aphis gossypii) (3). Extracts and essential oils of
Origanum species have also exhibited anti-nematodal and
moluscicidal effects in various studies (3).
Due to their antioxidant and antibacterial properties, origanums
also show promise for food preservation. Oregano can inhibit oxidation
of fats and oils due primarily to the presence of carvacrol and
flavonoids (72). Although various molds, yeast and bacteria have been
found growing on samples of dried oregano and marjoram, oregano (genus
and species not specified) has demonstrated antimicrobial activity
against a variety of organisms including E. coli, a subspecies
of Salmonella enterica, Salmonella enteritidis and
Candida albicans (72). According to a study published in the
Journal of Food Protection in March 2003, the essential oil of
O. vulgare retarded the spoilage of freshwater Asian sea bass
by inhibiting bacterial growth, extending shelf-life to 33 days (50).
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