Among the typical aromas of the Mediterranean area, undoubtedly stand out thyme and oregano which, like marjoram, mint and sage, belong to the Laminaceae family.
Very common in our local cuisine thanks to their intense and pleasant scent, thyme and oregano have similar botanical characteristics: they are perennial shrub plants that prefer warm and sunny locations and well-drained soils to avoid water stagnation. Very easy to grow, they require very little care.
Recognizing them is not difficult at all. Thyme has small and lanceolate leaves of ash green color and flowers of various shades of pink collected in spike inflorescences.
The oregano instead, with small, oval-lanceolate leaves, has a creeping bearing, a stem often covered with hair, and pinkish-white flowers collected in panicles placed at the top of the stems.
If the two small shrubs have similar botanical traits, their similarity is sharpened when it comes to therapeutic properties. That's right, the essential oils most contained in oregano leaves are the same as those found in thyme: thymol and, to a lesser extent, carvacrol, two components of the great family of phenols, with a strong bactericidal power.
This is why thyme and oregano are among the most powerful natural antiseptics, a property that is widely used for the preservation of food, as well as for the treatment of certain infections, especially those affecting the respiratory system and intestines. Thyme is also a digestive and a carminative, as well as, topically, an excellent disinfectant for the skin.
Finally, thanks to their antibiotic and antiparasitic properties, thyme and oregano are ideal ingredients of the preparations for disinfecting environments that house pets. Effective and harmless solutions to avoid the establishment of bacteria and parasites in kennels, on carpets and, in general, on all surfaces of the house.
