Marjoram
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Marjoram is a mildly spicy culinary herb from the eastern Mediterranean, particularly familiar in Austria as Wurstkraut. It belongs to the same genus as oregano but is a distinct species. Its European use as a seasoning and household remedy has a long history; exact identification remains uncertain for some ancient names and medieval attributions.
Reliable human studies are insufficient to establish a digestive benefit. The EMA therefore recognises traditional medicinal use of marjoram herb: tea for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating and flatulence, and a specific ointment for irritated skin around the nostrils. Laboratory findings on essential oil do not establish benefits from tea or culinary seasoning.
In everyday use, marjoram is primarily a seasoning. Medicinal tea has separate restrictions: it is intended for adults and is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding because data are insufficient.
Clinical evidence ↔ Historical significanceWe display two separate evidence categories: clinical evidence from modern trials and historical significance from documented healing tradition. Both are valuable, but they answer different questions.Read more
In every encyclopedia entry we evaluate two distinct categories of evidence. Clinical evidence as used in trials meets a narrower but scientifically essential bar. At the same time, the hundreds of thousands of plant species worldwide have only partially been captured and tested in modern studies.
Alongside the trial picture our researchers compile a comprehensive overview of where and since when a plant has been used across different traditions of natural medicine. When a plant has been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures across many generations, that historical significance deserves to be visible too.
Our position: a truly informative overview emerges only when both categories sit side by side. We communicate transparently what counts as what.
Overview
Marjoram (Origanum majorana), also known in German as Wurstkraut, is an aromatic herb of the mint family. Native to the eastern Mediterranean, it is now cultivated worldwide. In Austrian cooking it seasons sausages, Leberkäse, potato goulash, roast pork and bean soups. Its aroma is generally milder and sweeter than that of the closely related oregano.
Marjoram is traditionally used for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating and flatulence. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) describes a tea made from the dried herb for this purpose, and a specific ointment for irritated skin around the nostrils. These uses rest on long-standing use rather than sufficient reliable clinical evidence. Culinary seasoning, medicinal tea and concentrated essential oil are different preparations.
History
Marjoram is associated with the Mediterranean herbal tradition. Ancient names such as sampsouchon and amaracus have been linked to it, but cannot always be assigned securely to modern Origanum majorana. Accounts of wedding wreaths, love goddesses and planting on graves therefore do not securely establish continuous use of this precise species.
Sweet marjoram is more clearly identifiable in later European herbal writing. Culpeper treats it separately from wild marjoram and describes its historical use for complaints of the head and stomach. The often-repeated account of its spread through Carolingian monastery gardens is not established by the sources cited here: Walahfrid Strabo’s Hortulus and the plant list in the Capitulare de villis provide no clear marjoram record. In Austrian cooking, marjoram is known as Wurstkraut and used in potato goulash, cabbage rolls and bean soups.
Mechanism
The essential oil contains the volatile substances responsible for marjoram’s aroma, including terpinen-4-ol and sabinene hydrate. Their proportions can vary with origin and extraction, so no single list of dominant constituents describes every oil. The herb also contains rosmarinic acid, a plant compound found in other members of the mint family.
Marjoram is traditionally regarded as relieving flatulence and mild cramping. How marjoram tea affects these complaints in humans is not adequately established. Laboratory research includes bacterial growth inhibition by essential oil and antioxidant properties of plant constituents. These findings identify possible research directions, but do not establish treatment benefits from tea or seasoning.
The 2016 EMA monograph describes two traditional medicinal uses of marjoram herb: tea for mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints and an ointment for irritated skin around the nostrils. Recognition rests on long-standing use rather than convincing clinical trials. The EMA’s 2023 review found no need to revise the monograph.
The sources cited here do not establish small trials showing improved digestion from marjoram tea. Studies of other uses or concentrated preparations do not answer that question. In a laboratory study by Moumni and colleagues (2020), marjoram essential oil inhibited growth of tested bacteria. This involved bacterial cultures, not treatment of people. Medicinal tea therefore remains grounded in traditional use.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints (EMA traditional-use monograph)The EMA describes marjoram tea for traditional relief of mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating and flatulence. This rests on long-standing use. Clinical studies are insufficient to establish a benefit for these complaints. The dose applies to dried, comminuted marjoram herb for adults.Adults with mild digestive complaints | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | [1][2] | |
| Relief of flatulence and mild cramping (traditional)Relief of flatulence and mild cramping describes the herb’s traditional use. This row expands on the same digestive use covered by the EMA monograph; it is not an additional clinical demonstration of efficacy. Laboratory findings on constituents cannot confirm a benefit from marjoram tea in humans.Traditional use of marjoram tea in adults | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | [1][2] | |
| Culinary and aromatic use (classic Austrian Wurstkraut)Marjoram is used as a seasoning in central European cooking, for example in sausages, smoked meat, potato goulash, cabbage rolls and bean soups. Culinary use is distinct from medicinal use and does not itself establish a medical benefit.General population using marjoram as a kitchen herb | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | IEvidence quality grade I (Insufficient). Not enough evidence to draw a conclusion. More research needed. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Bacterial growth inhibition by marjoram essential oil (laboratory)Moumni and colleagues (2020) tested marjoram essential oil in bacterial cultures. Under the experimental conditions it inhibited growth of tested bacteria. This does not establish treatment of human infections or equivalent activity from tea or seasoning amounts.Laboratory bacterial cultures | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Lab Signal | [3] |
Usage
Forms and preparation
Marjoram can be used fresh or dried. Rub dried leaves between your fingers just before adding them to release their aroma. They suit sausages, smoked meat, potato goulash and bean soups. Add marjoram towards the end of cooking to preserve its aroma, or scatter fresh shoots over the finished dish. For medicinal tea, pour 150 ml boiling water over 2 to 4 g dried, comminuted marjoram herb. Cover, infuse for about 5 to 10 minutes and strain; also follow the product instructions. The EMA describes taking the tea before meals. Store dried marjoram in a tightly closed container protected from heat and light.
Dosage
As a seasoning, marjoram is used to taste; this does not define a medicinal dose. For adults with mild spasmodic digestive complaints, the EMA specifies 1 to 2 cups of medicinal tea daily before meals: 2 to 4 g herb in 150 ml water per cup, totalling 2 to 8 g daily. Medicinal use in children and adolescents under 18 is not recommended because data are insufficient. Seek medical advice if symptoms last longer than two weeks or worsen. Combination products have their own instructions. The EMA also describes an ointment with marjoram extract in white petroleum jelly for irritated skin around the nostrils. Adults and children from one year of age apply a small amount externally 2 to 4 times daily. Follow the product leaflet and do not apply the ointment deep inside the nostrils. Seek medical advice for signs of skin infection, worsening symptoms or symptoms lasting more than one week. This ointment is not equivalent to essential oil mixed into a carrier oil; the monograph does not establish a general drop dose for such mixtures.
Safety
Look-alikes
Similar plants and look-alikes
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is closely related but a distinct species. It generally tastes stronger, more peppery and somewhat more bitter than the milder, sweeter marjoram. Their flower clusters also differ, with marjoram forming denser, knot-like heads. They have different culinary roles, such as oregano in tomato sauces and marjoram in sausages or potato goulash. The EMA monograph on marjoram herb applies only to Origanum majorana and the preparations it describes; it cannot be transferred to oregano or arbitrary essential oils.
Read the entry: OreganoMexican oregano (Lippia origanoides)
Mexican oregano (Lippia origanoides, synonym Lippia graveolens) belongs to the vervain family (Verbenaceae), a different plant family. It is used in Mexican and Central American cooking and may be labelled simply as “oregano”. The common name alone therefore does not identify the plant. Culinary use does not make it a substitute for medicinal marjoram herb.
FAQs
What is the difference between marjoram and oregano?
Marjoram (Origanum majorana) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) are closely related but distinct species. Marjoram generally tastes milder, sweeter and slightly more floral; oregano is stronger and more peppery. Marjoram suits sausages, roasts, potato goulash and bean soups, while oregano is familiar from tomato sauces and pizza. Substituting one changes the flavour. They are not medicinally interchangeable: the EMA monograph on marjoram herb applies only to the named species and preparations.
Why is marjoram the classic herb on Austrian sausages and Erdäpfel-Gulasch?
Its mildly spicy, slightly sweet aroma pairs well with sausages, smoked meat, potatoes and pulses. This explains its familiar Austrian name Wurstkraut. Rub dried leaves between your fingers just before adding them to release their aroma, preferably towards the end of cooking.
Is marjoram safe to use during pregnancy?
Small amounts used for seasoning are distinct from medicinal use. Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been adequately studied for medicinal marjoram tea or the specified ointment. The EMA therefore does not recommend these medicinal uses. This does not establish the safety of an occasional cup of medicinal tea. Concentrated essential oils and extracts are not equivalent to seasoning amounts; discuss their use with your doctor or midwife.
Is marjoram documented in medieval monastery gardens?
The familiar account is not established by the sources cited here. Walahfrid Strabo’s Hortulus and the plant list in the Capitulare de villis do not provide an unambiguous marjoram record. They cannot establish an uninterrupted route into Austrian cottage gardens. Sweet marjoram is more clearly identifiable in later herbals, such as Culpeper’s. Its present culinary role is independent of the unresolved question of its precise medieval spread.
3 sources.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). European Union herbal monograph on Origanum majorana L., herba. 2016. Source
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Assessment report on Origanum majorana L., herba. 2016. Source
- Moumni S, Elaissi A, Trabelsi A, Merghni A, Chraief I, Jelassi B, Chemli R, Ferchichi S. Correlation between chemical composition and antibacterial activity of some Lamiaceae species essential oils from Tunisia. 2020. doi:10.1186/s12906-020-02888-6
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