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 Spanish Oregano Essential
Oil ProfileSpanish Oregano is a low bushy perennial up to 2ft high with hairy stem and dark green, oval leaves and small grayish white flowers. Oregano essential oil comes from Spain, and is steamed distilled from the herb. Many plants are loosely classified as oregano. To add to the confusion, some reference books call oregano "wild marjoram," and many recipes suggest that the two herbs, both members of the mint family, are interchangeable. In fact, there are so many varieties of oregano that rather than thinking of oregano as a specific plant, one ought to think of it as a particular flavor. |
| Botanical Name: | Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffsgg. & Link |
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| Family: | Lamiaceae |
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| Synonyms: | Thymus capitus, Coridothymus capitus, Satureja capitata, Thymbra capitata, Oreganum, Israeli oreganum, Cretan thyme, corido thyme, conehead thyme, headed savory, thyme of the ancients. |
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| Parts Used: | Dried flowering tops. |
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| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation. |
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| Colour: | Dark brownish-red to purple |
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| Consistency: | Medium |
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| Aroma Description: | Strong herbaceous, tar-like |
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| Historical Uses: | Similar in use to Common thyme - according to Mrs Grieves |
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| Modern Uses: | Aromatherapy use - None. Used as a fragrance in soaps, lotions and perfumes. Also some use as a flavouring. |
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| Cautions: | Dermal toxin, skin irritant, mucous membrane irritant. |
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| Main Constituents, % |
| 1,8-Cineole |
50 - 62 |
| α-Terpinene |
1 - 4 |
| Υ-Terpinene |
0.4 - 5 |
| Terpinolene |
10 - 20 |
| α-Terpineol |
2 - 4 |
| β-Caryophylene |
0 - 2 |
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| Physical Actions |
| Analgesic, anthelmintic, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, antiviral, bactericidal, carminative, choleretic, cytophlactic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, fungicidal, parasiticide rubefacient, stimulant, tonic. |
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| Toxicity |
LD50 - (oral) rat >not known mg/kg; (dermal) rabbit >not known.
Irritation/Sensitisation - Not available
Phototoxicity - Not available
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