This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
CO
AntimicrobialVerified
Cuban Oregano
Plectranthus amboinicus
Respiratory conditions across tropical Asia and Africa
Cuban oregano contains several bioactive compounds, primarily carvacrol and thymol, which demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Beta-caryophyllene contributes additional anti-inflammatory effects, while eugenol provides antimicrobial action. These volatile oils work by disrupting microbial cell membranes and modulating inflammatory pathways in the body. The flavonoids present also contribute antioxidant activity. Evidence Level B supports these traditional applications, particularly for respiratory and digestive conditions.
Does Cuban oregano interact with any medications?
Cuban oregano may potentially interact with medications metabolized by liver enzymes, as compounds like carvacrol and thymol can affect cytochrome P450 activity. Due to limited clinical data, individuals taking blood thinners, diabetes medications, or drugs processed by the liver should exercise caution. The herb's potential effects on blood sugar may enhance the action of antidiabetic medications. Always consult a healthcare provider before combining Cuban oregano with prescription medications.
What is the recommended dosage for Cuban oregano?
The traditional adult dosage for Cuban oregano is 2-4 grams of fresh leaves prepared as a tea, typically consumed up to three times daily for respiratory or digestive complaints. For coughs, fresh leaf juice can be extracted and taken in smaller amounts. Dried herb preparations may require dosage adjustment due to concentration differences. Evidence Level B supports these traditional dosing ranges, though standardized clinical trials establishing optimal dosing remain limited.
Is Cuban oregano safe to use during pregnancy?
Cuban oregano is considered unsafe during pregnancy and should be avoided. The essential oil compounds, particularly carvacrol and thymol, may stimulate uterine contractions or cause adverse effects on fetal development. Traditional contraindications explicitly warn against use in pregnant women, especially in therapeutic doses. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use Cuban oregano medicinally. Small culinary amounts may be less concerning but should still be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider.
Can Cuban oregano help with coughs and bronchitis?
Cuban oregano has a long history of traditional use for respiratory conditions including coughs and bronchitis across tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The herb's antimicrobial compounds, particularly carvacrol and thymol, may help address underlying infections, while anti-inflammatory properties may soothe irritated respiratory tissues. Fresh leaf juice is traditionally used for acute coughs. Evidence Level B supports these applications based on ethnobotanical data and preliminary research.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 29 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Plectranthus amboinicus is a perennial herb from the Lamiaceae family used in folk medicine for respiratory, digestive, and skin conditions [PMID:27043511, PMID:38321896].
Background
Plectranthus amboinicus (also known as Coleus amboinicus, Indian borage, or Mexican mint) is a perennial plant native to tropical and warm regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia [PMID:27043511, PMID:38321896, PMID:42266885].
Traditional uses
It is widely used in folk medicine to treat colds, asthma, constipation, headaches, coughs, fever, and skin diseases [PMID:27043511, PMID:38321896]. In Indonesia, it is used as a traditional galactogogue (torbangun) [PMID:30000934], and in India, it is consumed with buttermilk during pathogen-induced diarrhea [PMID:25796406].
Active compounds
The plant contains volatiles and non-volatile compounds including monoterpenoids (such as carvacrol and thymol), diterpenoids, triterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenolics (including rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid), flavonoids, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, and tannins [PMID:27043511, PMID:38321896, PMID:28387609, PMID:42266885].
Mechanism of action
Antibacterial effects are associated with the disruption of bacterial cell walls, leakage of nucleic acids and cell constituents [PMID:27904397], and the decrease of catalase activity, which increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and leads to lipid peroxidation [PMID:37375543]. In arthritis models, it may attenuate inflammatory bone erosion by downregulating RANKL-induced NFATc1 expression [PMID:21724708].
Clinical evidence
Evidence ABreast milk production
A meta-analysis suggests supplementation may increase breastmilk volume, though effect on infant weight gain is uncertain [PMID:30000934].
Evidence DDiabetes
Ethanol extract showed significant reduction in blood glucose levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats [PMID:22303055].
Evidence DRheumatoid Arthritis
Administration in collagen-induced arthritis mice attenuated inflammatory bone erosion [PMID:21724708].
Evidence DPeriodontitis
Carvacrol (a major component) ameliorated ligation-induced periodontal damage in rats [PMID:28387609].
Evidence DOral Cancer
Demonstrated anticancer activity on oral cancer cell lines in vitro [PMID:36974541].
Evidence DMalaria
Tested in vivo against Plasmodium berghei infections in mice [PMID:25276063].
Safety & adverse effects
Acute oral toxicity tests in mice at 5000 mg/kg revealed no mortality or evidence of toxicity [PMID:25276063]. It has been used for hundreds of years in Indonesia with apparent safety [PMID:30000934].
Pregnancy & lactation
Used traditionally as a galactogogue in Indonesia; however, no data exist on the excretion of components into breastmilk or the safety and efficacy in nursing mothers or infants [PMID:30000934].
Evidence summary
The majority of evidence is based on in vitro studies, animal models (rats/mice), and review articles. There is one meta-analysis regarding its use as a galactogogue, but robust human clinical trials are lacking.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 30000934 (2006) — Plectranthus amboinicus: A Systematic Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Properties, and Therapeutic Applications. · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3.PMID: 38321896 (2024) — Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities of Coleus amboinicus: A Comprehensive Review. · Current pharmaceutical design
4.PMID: 16289602 (2006) — Plectranthus: a review of ethnobotanical uses. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
5.PMID: 36974541 (2023) — Anticancer Effect of Plectranthus Amboinicus and Glycyrrhiza Glabra on Oral Cancer Cell Line: An Invitro Experimental Study.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
· Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
6.PMID: 34822112 (2022) — Repellency of Wild Oregano Plant Volatiles, Plectranthus Amboinicus, and Their Essential Oils to the Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci, on Tomato. · Neotropical entomology
7.PMID: 38641078 (2024) — In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the anti-infective potential of the essential oil extracted from the leaves of Plectranthus amboinicus (lour.) spreng against Klebsiella pneumoniae and elucidation of its mechanism of action through proteomics approach. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
8.PMID: 33121420 (2022) — Radioprotective Effects of Plants from the Lamiaceae Family. · Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
9.PMID: 35720822 (2022) — Formulation and evaluation of oral disintegrating films using a natural ingredient against Streptococcus mutans. · Journal of conservative dentistry : JCD
10.PMID: 37110197 (2023) — How Central Carbon Metabolites of Mexican Mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) Plants Are Impacted under Different Watering Regimes. · Metabolites
11.PMID: 37375543 (2023) — Evaluation of the Effect of Plectranthus amboinicus L. Leaf Extracts on the Bacterial Antioxidant System and Cell Membrane Integrity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 and Staphylococcus aureus NCTC8325. · Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
12.PMID: 32128001 (2019) — Formulation and Antibacterial Activity of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng Leaves Ethanolic Extract as Herbal Mouthwash Against Halitosis Caused Bacteria. · Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences
13.PMID: 36615569 (2023) — Comparative Effects of Two Forms of Chitosan on Selected Phytochemical Properties of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.). · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
14.PMID: 22303055 (2011) — Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of plectranthus amboinicus on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. · Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
15.PMID: 37419284 (2023) — Hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of Plectranthus amboinicus (lour.) spreng leaf in DMBA induced rats. · Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
16.PMID: 21724708 (2011) — Plectranthus amboinicus attenuates inflammatory bone erosion in mice with collagen-induced arthritis by downregulation of RANKL-induced NFATc1 expression. · The Journal of rheumatology
17.PMID: 28387609 (2017) — Carvacrol Ameliorates Ligation-Induced Periodontitis in Rats. · Journal of periodontology
18.PMID: 36518120 (2022) — Molecular docking analysis of bioactive compounds from Plectranthus amboinicus with glucokinase. · Bioinformation
19.PMID: 42266885 (2026) — Nutritional Composition, Therapeutic Benefits, and Functional Food Potential of Coleus amboinicus: A Comprehensive Review. · Food science & nutrition
20.PMID: 32614884 (2020) — Functional characterization of a new terpene synthase from Plectranthus amboinicus. · PloS one
21.PMID: 38317433 (2024) — Development of PU foam dressings loaded with extract of Plectranthus amboinicus for burn wound healing. · Drug development and industrial pharmacy
22.PMID: 36297499 (2022) — New Horizons of Macrophage Immunomodulation in the Healing of Diabetic Foot Ulcers. · Pharmaceutics
23.PMID: 36836886 (2023) — Microwave-Assisted Hydrodistillation of Essential Oil from Plectranthus amboinicus: Evaluation of Its Antifungal Effect and Chemical Composition. · Life (Basel, Switzerland)
24.PMID: 27904397 (2016) — Antibacterial Activity of Indian Borage (Plectranthus amboinicus Benth) Leaf Extracts in Food Systems and
Against Natural Microflora in Chicken Meat. · Food technology and biotechnology
25.PMID: 25276063 (2014) — Antimalarial activity of Malaysian Plectranthus amboinicus against Plasmodium berghei. · Pharmacognosy research
26.PMID: 35178723 (2022) — Encapsulation of wild oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng, phenolic extract in baker's yeast for the postharvest control of anthracnose in papaya. · Journal of the science of food and agriculture
27.PMID: 29630520 (2018) — Phytochemical and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous leaf extract of Indian borage (oregano) on rats induced with inflammation. · Cancer biomarkers : section A of Disease markers
28.PMID: 25796406 (2015) — Plectranthus amboinicus leaves stimulate growth of probiotic L. plantarum: evidence for ethnobotanical use in diarrhea. · Journal of ethnopharmacology