Mexican Oregano (<i>Lippia graveolens</i> Kunth) as Source of Bioactive Compounds: A Review

• Main Authors: Israel Bautista-Hernández, Cristóbal N. Aguilar, Guillermo C. G. Martínez-Ávila, Cristian Torres-León, Anna Ilina, Adriana C. Flores-Gallegos, Deepak Kumar Verma, Mónica L. Chávez-González
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: <i>Lippia graveolens</i>; bioactive compounds; phenolic compounds; extraction techniques
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/17/5156

<i>Lippia graveolens</i> is a traditional crop and a rich source of bioactive compounds with various properties (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, UV defense, anti-glycemic, and cytotoxicity) that is primarily cultivated for essential oil recovery. The isolated bioactive compounds could be useful as additives in the functional food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Carvacrol, thymol, β-caryophyllene, and p-cymene are terpene compounds contained in oregano essential oil (OEO); flavonoids such as quercetin O-hexoside, pinocembrin, and galangin are flavonoids found in oregano extracts. Furthermore, thermoresistant compounds that remain in the plant matrix following a thermal process can be priced in terms of the circular economy. By using better and more selective extraction conditions, the bioactive compounds present in Mexican oregano can be studied as potential inhibitors of COVID-19. Also, research on extraction technologies should continue to ensure a higher quality of bioactive compounds while preventing an undesired chemical shift (e.g., hydrolysis). The oregano fractions can be used in the food, health, and agricultural industries.