Abstract

GARCIA-PEREZ, Enrique; FERNANDO FRANCISCO, Castro-Álvarez; GUTIERREZ-URIBE, Janet Alejandra  and  GARCIA-LARA, Silverio. Revision of the production, phytochemical composition, and nutraceutical properties of Mexican oregano. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2012, vol.3, n.2, pp.339-353. ISSN 2007-0934.

The oregano plant is distributed worldwide, and represented mainly by two species: Origanum vulgare (Lamiaceace) native of Europa, and Lippia graveolens (Verbenaceae), native of America. Mexico is the second largest producer of oregano in the world, with the species L. graveolens H. B. K. However, most of the species used are wild, and raising them is done in a traditional and limited way. In this study we present an analysis of the dissemination strategies, chemical composition and nutraceutical properties of oregano. Phytochemicals present can be classified into three categories: volatile, lipids and phenolic compounds. These components present diverse neutraceutical properties, the most important of which are antioxidant activities, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, hypolypidemic and anti-carcinogenic. The advances in the study of the phytochemical composition and its relationship with new nutraceutical properties, make oregano a product with a high commercial value and broad chemotherapeutic applications.

Keywords : Lippia graveolens; anti-cancer; anti-oxidant; phenolic compounds.