Thyme

Other names: Common garden thyme, mother of thyme

Scientific name: Thymus vulgaris

Common names:

Ayurvedic names:

Chinese names: Bai li xiang

Bangladesh names:

Arabic names:    زعتر (za’etar)

Rain Forest names:

Family: Labitae

Approximate number of species known:

Common parts used: Flowers, leaf, entire herb

Collection: summer

Annual/Perennial: perennial

Height: 6 to 10 inches 

Actions:  anti-bacterial, anti-catarrhal, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, anthelmintic, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, resolvant, spasmolytic, tonic, vulnerary

Known Constituents:  Oil including monoterpenes tborneol, thymol(30-70%), carvacol (70%), thymol methyl ether (1.5-2.5%),  cymol, linalol, tannin, flavanoids including methylated flavones; phenolic glycosides; aliphatic alcohols; biphenyl compounds; phenolic acids including rosmarinic, tannins, triterpenoid

Description: 

Traditional Use:

A strong anti bacterial and anti viral.  Thyme is a strong additions to respiratory formulas.   It has been used in cough syrups

The oil has been used on infected nails.

Its carminative properties sees it used for sluggish digestion.

Externally   It is used as a mouth and throat gargle.   Used as a cough remedy. Its use as an astringent in diarrhoea and bed wetting.

It has been used to bring on surpressed mensturation and for fevers.1  Best to use sparingly, and not habitually.1

Tyhmol

Clinical Studies:

Source:

                           Thyme

Latin name:       Thymus Vulgaris

Family:               N.O. Labiatae

Other names:

Common Thyme and garden Thyme.

Thyme is a well known herb. It is cultivated now in most countries with temperate climates, though we do not know at what period it was first introduced into northern countries. It was certainly commonly cultivated in England before the middle of the sixteenth century.

is a perennial with a woody, fibrous root. The stems are numerous, round, hard, branched, and usually from 4 to 8 inches high, when of the largest growth scarcely attaining a foot in height. The leaves are small, only about 1/8 inch long and 1/16 inch broad, narrow and elliptical, greenish-grey in colour, reflexed at the margins, and set in pairs upon very small foot-stalks. The flowers terminate the branches in whorls. The calyx is tubular, striated, closed at the mouth with small hairs and divided into two lips, the uppermost cut into three teeth and the lower into two. There are three varieties usually grown for use, the broad-leaved, narrow-leaved and variegated.

Thyme is a good source of iron and is widely used in cooking. The herb is a basic ingredient in Greek, Lebanese, Italian, French, Albanian, Persian, Portuguese, Libyan, Spanish, Syrian, and Turkish cuisines, and in those derived from them. It is also widely used in Arab and Caribbean cuisines. Thyme is often used to flavour meats, soups and stews. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavour with lamb, tomatoes and eggs. Thyme, while flavorful, does not overpower and blends well with other herbs and spices.

he essential oil of common thyme is made up of 20-54% thymol. Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, it was used to medicate bandages. It has also been shown to be effective against the fungus that commonly infects toenails.

Thyme tea will arrest gastric fermentation. It is useful in cases of wind spasms and colic, and will assist in promoting perspiration at the commencement of a cold, and in fever and febrile complaints generally. 

In herbal medicine, Thyme is generally used in combination with other remedies.

Herb Name: Thyme

Others names: Common thyme, Garden thyme

Latin name: Thymus vulgaris

Family: Lamiaceae

Common part used: Leaves, Flowering Tops, Essential Oil

Description: Thyme is a shrub with variegated leaves and white or purple flowers. The plant grows to around 25 centimeters in height.

Properties: Thyme is an herb that is used in herbal medicine to treat hair-loss, dandruff, arthritis and gout. The herb helps to remove uric acid from joints. The herb has warming, aromatic, astringent, antiseptic, and antifungal properties. It helps to relax spasms, control coughing, and improves digestion.

Contents: Thyme essential oil consists of around 20-25% phenols with antiseptic properties – Thymol and Carvacrol. Antiseptic Thymol is the active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash.

Internal use: Internally, Thyme is used for respiratory problems, including treating whooping and dry cough, bronchitis, asthma, laryngitis, and excess bronchial mucus. It helps to treat indigestion, diarrhea, and gastritis.

External use: Externally, it is used for gum disease, tonsillitis, arthritis, rheumatism, and fungal infections. Thyme tonic is commonly used to stimulate hair growth, as well as to treat dandruff.

Essential oil and aromatherapy use: In aromatherapy, Thyme essential oil helps to improve concentration and to bolster the nerves. The essential oil can help to boost immunity, fight colds, flu, sore throat, coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis and asthma. It is used in gout, rheumatism, and arthritis (removes uric acid). It stimulates digestion and improves the state of the urinary tract. The essential oil can be used to treat hair-loss and dandruff, but it is generally not used for skin care. It has antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, cardiac, bactericide, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, emmenagogue, hypertensive, stimulant, insecticide, vermifuge and tonic properties.

Safety precautions: Pregnant women should not use the fresh herb. High concentrations of the essential oil will irritate the mucous membranes and the skin. It should not be added to bath water. People with high blood pressure should not use Thyme.