Oregano Minutiflorum

Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P.H. Davis

Chemotype: carvacrol-rich

herbaceoussharpphenolicpungent

PLANT PART: aerial parts
EXTRACTION: water distillation
AROMA NOTE: mid

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What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

herbaceoussharpphenolicpungent

Aroma intensity: 80 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: mid

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A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: 1.1%
Phototoxicity: Not flagged in this profile
Oxidation risk: medium

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

No phototoxic restriction was identified for distilled oregano minutiflorum oil in the reviewed public sources.

Contraindications & cautions

majorTisserand & Young contraindicate carvacrol/thymol-rich oregano oil in pregnancy: in vitro and animal data show carvacrol induces dose-dependent uterine contractions, and the oil is treated as embryotoxic/emmenagogic, with case reports of preterm labor following unsupervised oral use of oregano oil products.
moderateThe NIH LactMed database states that oregano in amounts higher than typical food-flavoring levels should probably be avoided during breastfeeding because no safety or efficacy data exist for nursing mothers or infants; this applies a fortiori to concentrated carvacrol-rich essential oil rather than culinary use.
moderateTisserand & Young caution against oral use with anticoagulant medication, hemophilia, and other bleeding disorders, since carvacrol/thymol-rich oregano oil may inhibit blood clotting and pose a drug-interaction hazard.
moderateTisserand & Young advise against topical use of oregano essential oil on children age 2 or younger, and against use on hypersensitive, diseased, or damaged skin at any age.
moderateThe high carvacrol/thymol content of oregano oil gives it a moderate skin-sensitization and mucous-membrane-irritation risk; Tisserand & Young recommend a dermal maximum around 1.1% for leave-on use, well below undiluted/neat application.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

11 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This profile is anchored to a directly readable Turkish wild-population paper for Origanum minutiflorum collected in Antalya during flowering. The oil is a strongly phenolic oregano type dominated by carvacrol, with p-cymene and gamma-terpinene as the main biosynthetic companions.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
Carvacrol	78.6%	78.6–78.6%	monoterpene phenol	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, carvacrol 78.6%)
p-Cymene	7.7%	7.7–7.7%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, p-cymene 7.7%)
gamma-Terpinene	2.2%	2.2–2.2%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, gamma-terpinene 2.2%)
Myrcene	1.1%	1.1–1.1%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (Table I, wild oil, myrcene 1.1%)
beta-Caryophyllene	1.7%	1.7–1.7%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, β-caryophyllene 1.7%)
Borneol	1%	1–1%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, borneol 1.0%)
trans-Sabinene Hydrate	1.1%	1.1–1.1%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, trans-sabinene hydrate 1.1%)
Terpinen-4-ol	0.7%	0.7–0.7%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, terpinen-4-ol 0.7%)
alpha-Terpinene	0.6%	0.6–0.6%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, α-terpinene 0.6%)
beta-Phellandrene	0.6%	0.6–0.6%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, β-phellandrene 0.6%)
alpha-Pinene	0.5%	0.5–0.5%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis (wild oil, Table I, α-pinene 0.5%)

Profile source: Essential Oils From Wild and Micropropagated Plants of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et Davis; Oregano Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights · https://www.academia.edu/45244388/Essential_Oils_From_Wild_and_Micropropagated_Plants_of_Origanum_minutiflorum_O_Schwarz_et_Davis ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/oregano-essential-oil.php

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in aromatherapy for its warming, stimulating character
reported to support respiratory comfort in well-diluted diffuser blends
traditionally associated with immune-support wellness rituals in folk herbalism
used in blends intended to promote a sense of vigor and warmth
shares the traditional reputation of other carvacrol-rich oregano oils for robust, spicy aromatic impact

Explore related intentionsEnergy & Invigoration ↗

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 2 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

Odor intensity 80 is a normalization of AromaWeb's categorical strength statement that oregano oil has a strong initial aroma, not a native 0-100 instrument measurement.
The public dermal maximum used here comes from AromaWeb's directly readable oregano safety profile citing Tisserand and Young rather than a directly viewable Essential Oil Safety monograph page for Origanum minutiflorum specifically.