Marjoram

Overview

O. majorana is native to Cyprus and neighboring southern Turkey, its occurs spontaneously in the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Corsica, southern Spain, southern Portugal, Morocco and Algeria. It is also cultivated in the area and in many countries in Europe, America and Asia, including Southeast Asia. Popular for seasoning salads and meat dishes, essences for dressings, liquers, sauces and vinegars, disinfecting and preserving foods, food seasoning, soups, meats, sauces, liquers. It is traditionally used as a medicinal ingredient to treat various health complaints. Marjoram is an ingredient in skin creams, body lotions, gels and soaps. In ancient Greece, women added essential oils to perfume mixes, also applied to eyebrow and hair perfume. In Europe, it was once used to rub leaves on pieces of oak wood for a fragrant shine. This herb is commonly used in Mediterranean and Western European cuisine. Used in Indian (Ayurveda) and Austrian systems of medicine. Marjoram is an aromatic plant that is often used fresh or dried.  Marjoram is a plant that is used as a condiment or spices in cooking because it can add flavor. Apart from adding flavor, marjoram also contains compounds that are good for the body.

Vernacular Names

Murwa (Hindi), Doash (Saudi Arabia), Marikozhundhu (Tamil), Marwa (Urdu).

Agroecology

It naturally occurs in rocky areas and slopes up to 1500 m above sea level. Thrives under full sun or partial shade. It is sun-loving plants. Native to temperate and subtropical climates, they can survive cold weather conditions. Marjoram prefers rich light soil, with a pH of 5.8-7.2. The average water requirement during the growing season is 500-1000 mm, and the average temperature should not be lower than 15 °C, although the plant can survive in much worse conditions. 

Morphology

• Roots - strong taproots.
• Stems - hairy and brown.
• Leaves - up to 30 pairs per stem; petiole 0-15 mm long; blade roundish to ovate, 3-35 mm × 2-30 mm, margin entire, whitish to greyish, tomentellous, glandular (up to 1500 glands per cm2), veins not raised.
• Spikes - subglobose, ovoid or quadrigonous-cylindrical, 3-20 mm × 3 mm, whitish or greyish, tomentellous, often 3 or 5 closely together at a branch; bracts (2-)6(-30) pairs per spike, ovate, obovate or rhomboid, 2-4 mm × 1-3 mm, whitish or greyish, tomentellous.
• Flowers - Calyx tubular, 2-3.5 mm long, tomentellous; corolla 3-7 mm long, white to yellowish, the 2 lobes of upper lip 0.2 mm long, the 3 lobes of lower lip subequal, 0.5-2 mm long; stamens protruding, upper pair up to 4 mm, lower pair up to 5 mm long; style up to 9 mm long.

Cultivation

Propagated by seeds - If sown in a germination box, seedlings appear in 14-21 days and transplanted into the field when it has 10-15 leaves.

Chemical Constituents

Eugenol compounds, flavonoids, tannins, sterols,  triterpenes, a-terpinene, y-terpinene, sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, a-terpineol, terpinenyl-4-acetate, 1,8-cineol, lynalyl acetate, benzene, germacrene-D, trans-caryophyllene, cis-sabinene hydrate, trans-sabinene hydrate, para-cymen, linalool, limonene, myrcene.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Traditionally used to relieve muscle spasms, alleviate insomnia, nausea and headaches.
• Used as external application for sprains and bruises, also used as emmenagogue.
• Leaf extract used to loosen phlegm.
• Oil used as toothache drops.
• Used in mouthwashes for oral hygiene; applied topically for relieve of colds and nasal congestion.
• Applied externally in bags as hot fomentation for painful swelling and rheumatism.
• In Jordan, unsweetened tea is used as mouthwash or gargle. Poultice of leaves used for rheumatic pains and sprains. Leaf oil used for toothaches.