Marjoram Essential Oil, Sweet

Marjoram essential oil, Sweet, Egypt: This oil has anti-spasmodic properties that can relieve the spasms in the limbs, in the respiratory system and in the intestines. It is also an an-aphrodisiac that can help people with abnormal sexual urges. The aroma is spicy and warm but is not particularly sweet by itself. In blends it can add a subtle sweetness. Fragrance professionals like Arctander describe the scent as slightly woody and similar to nutmeg and cardamom. He also compares it to tea tree, pointing out similar notes. Natural constituents include linalool, methyl chavicol, Cineol, eugenol and terpineol. Steam distillation of the flowering plant yields less than half a percent. The plant is native to Asia and Africa but is cultivated extensively throughout Europe and the US.

The flowering leaves and tops of Marjoram are steam distilled to produce an essential oil that is yellowish in color (darkening to brown as it ages). It has many chemical components, some of which are borneol, camphor, origanol and pinene.

The health benefits of Marjoram essential oil can be attributed to its properties like analgesic, anti pasmodic, an-aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, carminative, cephalic, cordial, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emenagogue, expectorant, fungicidal, hypotensive, laxative, nervine, sedative, stomachic, vasodilator and vulnerary.

Chief constituents of this oil are:

* Sabinene,
* Alpha Terpinene,
* Gamma Terpinene,
* Cymene,
* Terpinolene,
* Linalool,
* Sabinene Hydrate,
* Linalyl Acetate,
* Terpineol and
* Gamma Terpineol.

This plant is known for its medicinal uses. It has the following properties:

* Analgesic: It reduces pain associated with cold, fever, inflammation, exertion of muscles, toothache, headache and numerous other reasons. It does not have any adverse side effects.
* Antiseptic: The antiseptic properties of Marjoram oil makes it a good application for external and internal wounds as well as an ingredient of the anti septic lotions and creams. This protects the wounds against being septic and developing tetanus.
* Antiviral: It can be effective in curing infections from virus and ailments associated with them, such as common cold, influenza, mumps, measles and even pox.
* Antibacterial: This oil kills bacteria. It can protect you from food poisoning, typhoid, malaria, colic, bacterial infections in colon, digestive system, urinary tract and other parts of the excretory system and on skin.
* Antifungal: It inhibits growth of fungus and helps cure fungal infections. This property helps cure a number of skin diseases, most of which are caused due to fungal infections. It also helps cure dysentery, which is often caused due to fungal growth.
* Anti Spasmodic: This oil is helpful in curing nearly all types of spasms and resultant problems. It efficiently relieves spasm in respiratory system, intestines and muscular spasms in limbs. It also helps cure convulsions, muscle pulls, cramps and spasmodic cholera which are caused due to spasms.
* Aphrodisiac: This is just the opposite of being an aphrodisiac. This helps suppress or control the sexual desires. This property is beneficial for those who are suffering from abnormal and extreme sexual urges.
* Carminative: Marjoram oil can efficiently handle gas trouble. It gives the gases a safe downward passage by relaxing the muscles in the abdominal region as well as also stops further gas formation. This help to get rid of a number of related problems such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomachache, chest pain, hypertension and flatulence.
* Cephalic: It is good for brain. It keeps it healthy and active and does not let it go dull with the age. This quality also relieves you of headaches.
* Cordial: It has a warming effect on the system. It improves circulation and warms up the body. This property helps get rid of cough and phlegm and gives relief in arthritis and rheumatism.
* Diaphoretic: This oil promotes perspiration and keeps you healthy by helping removal of toxins, sodium salts and excess water from the body. This also helps bring down fever.
* Digestive: Marjoram seeds have been in use as a remedy to facilitate digestion. This digestive property of Marjoram seeds comes from its essential oils. Marjoram oil promotes digestion by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices like gastric juices, acids and bile in the stomach. Its aroma also stimulates the salivary glands and thus aids in the primary digestion of the food in the mouth. Lastly, it stimulates the peristaltic movement of the intestines and helps the ingested food to advance through them, thereby facilitating digestion again.
* Diuretic: This oil increases frequency of urination and quantity of urine, thus helping not only removal of excess water, sodium, uric acid, bile salts and other toxic elements from the body, but also lower blood pressure, clean kidneys and reduce fat. Just one thing to remember.
* Emenagogue: For the problems of irregular, obstructed or painful menstruation, the benefit from the emenagogue property of Marjoram oil. Not only it helps clear menses and makes them regular, to quite an extent it gives relief from the other symptoms associated with periods, such as headache, pain in the abdominal area, dizziness etc. It also helps prevent untimely menopause.
* Expectorant: Marjoram oil proves effective in giving relief from deposition of cough and phlegm and congestion of nasal tract, larynx, pharynx, bronchi and lungs due to cold and viral infection. It is particularly effective on frequent coughs.
* Hypotensive: It helps lower blood pressure and cuts the risk of heart attacks and brain hemorrhage etc.
* Laxative: It helps clear bowels stimulating the large intestine and relaxing the excretory system.
* Sedative: It induces a calming, relaxing and sedating effect on the mind and the body. It relieves nervous stress and anxiety. It also gives a happy feeling in cases of anger or sadness. This property can be helpful to pacify people who suffered a shock or setback in life.
* Nervine: It strengthens the nervous system, tones it up, keeps you active and protects you from nervous disorders.
* Stomachic: Marjoram oil is stomachic, that is, it keeps the stomach in order and functioning well. It cures stomach disorders and ulcers and ensures proper flow of bile and gastric juices and acids in stomach. Sometimes, the inner lining of stomach is corroded due to prolonged acidity and results in ulcer. This happens due to lack of bile (which neutralizes the acids). Marjoram oil can help to avoid this situation too, as it maintains proper secretions in stomach.
* Vasodilator: This is an important medicinal property of Marjoram oil and can be bless for those who run the risk of heart attack or brain hemorrhage due to hypertension. This widens and relaxes the blood vessels, eases flow of blood through it and reduces blood pressure.
* Vulnerary: This oil acts as a vulnerary by promoting quick healing of wounds, external or internal, and protecting them from infections.

Safety: It has no adverse effects. But again, the pregnant women should avoid this.

Blending: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cypress, Eucalyptus and Tea Tree essential oils blend well with Marjoram Essential Oil.