Its properties have been widely studied, the most important being its antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and, in fairly primary studies, antitumor, antiseptic and is also considered tonic and digestive. In folk medicine, the infusion of oregano has been used as an aid in the treatment of cough. Hippocrates used oregano as an antiseptic, as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory diseases. A Cretan oregano (O. dictamnus) is still used today in Greece as a palliative for sore throat. Oregano has a high antioxidant activity, due to a high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids. In test tube studies, antimicrobial activity has also been demonstrated against strains of foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes. In traditional Austrian medicine it has been used internally (as tea) or externally (as an ointment) for the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract and the nervous system.
