Origanum dictamnus or as it is more commonly known, dittany of Crete, Cretan dittany and hop marjoram, is a tender perennial plant that grown 20-30 cm high. In Greek, it is called diktamo or in cretan dialect erontas which translates to love. It is a healing, therapeutic and highly aromatic plant that only grows wild on the mountainsides of the Greek island of Crete, in Greece. The dittany of Crete is widely used inside food and for its medicinal purposes, in addition to it featuring as an ornamental plant in gardens. This small shrub is easily recognised by its distinctive soft, woolly covering of white-grey hair on its stems and round green leaves, giving it a velvety texture.

Dittany appears to hold stimulant, healing and astringent properties. In folk tradition, it is used as a remedy aiding stomach disorders and also as a digestive. As anthelmitic, it is used against infections caused by parasitic worms, as antimicrobial it combats bad breath and helps in the treatment of gum disease. As an emmenagogue, it is reputed to help in cases of amenorrhea caused by fatigue and exhaustion. Recommended in nerve disorders, headaches and other neuronal diseases of the nervous system. It is often used as a remedy for tonsillitis and sore throat. As a diuretic, it helps kidneys, liver diseases and cases of diabetes and obesity.

Dittany is said to symbolize love and to be an aphrodisiac, and it was oftentimes presented as a love token. Many deaths have been reported in association with dittany collecting. Even in recent times, the collection of dittany of Crete was a very dangerous occupation for the men who risked their life to climb precarious rock faces where the plant grows wild in the mountains of Crete. The men who seeked the dittany herb were called erondades, as in love seekers, and they were considered very passionate men to proceed in the dangerous act of seeking the dittany flower.

The herb has always been highly prized; it is gathered while in bloom in the summer months and is exported for use in pharmaceuticals, perfumery and to flavour drinks such as vermouth and absinthe. In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates prescribed plant cures to aid all manners of ailments, and considered dittany of Crete useful for stomach aches and complaints of the digestive system and as a poultice for healing wounds, as well as inducing menstruation. Aristotle reported that wild goats which were wounded by arrow, searched for dittany, as it portrayed the property of ejecting arrows in the body.

Today, dittany, which is wild and naturally grown, is classed as rare and is protected by European law so it does not become extinct. The cultivation centers on Embaros and the surrounding villages, south of Heraklion and is used to make herbal tea and for use in natural beauty products.

Medicinal Application:

Dittany is most commonly utilized for digetive tract disorders such as stomach proclems, ulcers, cramps and worms in the intestines. It it also used for urinary tract disordes as it hold diuretic properties.

Ditanny is antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and antimicrobial. Its unique medicinal properties are due to a phenol present in the herb called carvacrol. It can be used as an antirheumatic, stomachic and oxytocic.

It acts as an aphrodisiac, antidiabetic, emmenagogue.

The tea made from the small, furry leaves can relieve headaches and neuralgia.

Safety Profile:

Eventhough dittany of Crete is an excellent and truly rare mesicinal herb, it should never be consumed by women during their pregnancy, as it can cause an abortion, due to its emmenagogue properties. Additionally, it is a very strong, toxic herb and should be consumed very carefully.

This is to inform you that we are not doctors. What is written above has a simple character and in no way replaces medical application. Always consult your doctor about your health issues.