Lippia origanoides

Lippia origanoides, commonly known as wild oregano, is a versatile medicinal shrub native to various African regions. Renowned for its potent essential oils, this aromatic plant offers significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is widely utilized in traditional medicine to treat respiratory ailments, digestive issues, and skin infections.

  • Scientific name: Lippia origanoides
  • Family: Verbenaceae
  • Native range: Northern America

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, specifically within the family Verbenaceae. Ultimately, it is categorized under the genus Lippia.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Lamiales WCVP
Family Verbenaceae WCVP
Genus Lippia WCVP

Common Names

This plant is known by various regional names depending on the language and location. In Swedish, it is referred to as Lippia graveolens, while in Arabic, it is called ليبيا قبر, and in Korean, it is known as 향리피아.
Language Common Name Source
sv Lippia graveolens Wikidata
arz ليبيا قبر Wikidata
ko 향리피아 Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution spanning parts of North America. In the South-Central United States, it can be found growing in New Mexico and Texas. Its presence extends significantly into Mexico, where it inhabits the central regions. Furthermore, the species is documented throughout Northeast Mexico. Finally, it is also distributed across the Gulf region of Mexico.

Region Area Source
South-Central U.S.A. New Mexico WCVP
South-Central U.S.A. Texas WCVP
Mexico Mexico Central WCVP
Mexico Mexico Northeast WCVP
Mexico Mexico Gulf WCVP
Mexico Mexico Northwest WCVP
Mexico Mexico Southwest WCVP
Mexico Mexico Southeast WCVP
Central America Belize WCVP
Central America Costa Rica WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Lippia origanoides, is highly valued in traditional medicine primarily for its aromatic properties. The most significant medicinal components are found within the leaves, which serve as the main source of its therapeutic potency. When these leaves are processed, they yield highly concentrated essential oils that contain various bioactive compounds. This extracted oil is frequently utilized for its antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Furthermore, the specific chemical profile of the essential oil can vary depending on the plant's environment, making the quality of the harvest crucial for medicinal use. While the foliage is the primary focus, some studies also investigate the potential properties of the roots to fully understand the plant's pharmacological profile.
Total parts
8
Scientific sources
17
Plant Part Sources Confidence
essential oil 7 ★★★★☆
essential oils 3 ★★☆☆☆
leaves 2 ★☆☆☆☆
roots 1 ★☆☆☆☆
oil 1 ★☆☆☆☆
leaf 1 ★☆☆☆☆
aerial portions 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Leaves 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Lippia origanoides has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 33 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include thymol, carvacrol, naringenin, p-cymene, pinocembrin.

Total chemicals
18
Scientific sources
33

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
thymol 5 ★★★☆☆
carvacrol 4 ★★☆☆☆
naringenin 3 ★★☆☆☆
p-cymene 3 ★★☆☆☆
pinocembrin 3 ★★☆☆☆
eriodictyol 2 ★☆☆☆☆
glycosides 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Carvacrol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Luteolin-7-O-glucoside 1 ★☆☆☆☆
endo-fenchol 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Lippia origanoides has 15 reported activities identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anxiolytic, Analgesic.

Total activities
15
Scientific sources
26

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antimicrobial 6 ★★★☆☆
Antioxidant 5 ★★★☆☆
Antibacterial 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Anxiolytic 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Analgesic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Anthelmintic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Anticoagulant 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antifungal 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antiinflammatory 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antipyretic 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Lippia origanoides has 14 reported medicinal uses identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Chagas disease, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus.

Total uses
14
Scientific sources
15

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
Chagas disease 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Escherichia coli 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Salmonella enteritidis 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Salmonella typhimurium 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Staphylococcus aureus 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Staphylococcus aureus infections 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Type 2 diabetes mellitus 1 ★☆☆☆☆
antioxidant 1 ★☆☆☆☆
anxiolytic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
biofilm 1 ★☆☆☆☆