Garden Thyme
This book, as well as an 1807 edition of Culpeper’s herbal, is available in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Native to the Mediterranean region of Europe but cultivated in many part of the world, Thyme is a perennial member of the Mint family commonly used as a culinary herb (Erol et al., 2014; Vetvicka & Vetvickova, 2016). Ancient Sumerian and Egyptian cultures used Thyme to embalm the dead and for its medicinal properties; the Romans flavored cheese and alcoholic beverages with it, and burned it to ward off dangerous animals (Halmai, 1972). In modern times, Thyme has been used to treat bronchitis, laryngitis, whooping cough, sore throat, colds, pneumonia, asthma, diarrhea, gastritis, headache, ringworm, athlete’s foot, scabies, herpes, and wounds (Akram & Rashid, 2017). Some of these diverse used may be related to reports documenting Thyme’s antimicrobial activity (Sienkiewicz, Łysakowska, Denys, & Kowalczyk, 2012).
Historical Use
Historical information on the use of Thyme is included in Nicolas Culpepper’s book The English Physician and Complete Herbal written in 1652. Thyme has been used to strengthen the lungs, to purge the body of phlegm, as a remedy for shortness of breath, and to kill worms in the belly. It was applied as an ointment to remove “hot swellings” and warts, and to ease pains in the spleen, the loins, and hips. Ingested, Thyme would provide comfort to the stomach and promote flatulence.
Latest Research
- On the Future Perspectives of Some Medicinal Plants within Lamiaceae Botanic Family Regarding Their Comprehensive Properties and Resistance against Biotic and Abiotic Stressesby Dan Ioan Avasiloaiei on May 27, 2023 at 10:00 am
Lamiaceae is one of the largest botanical families, encompassing over 6000 species that include a variety of aromatic and medicinal spices. The current study is focused on three plants within this botanical family: basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.). These three species contain primary and secondary metabolites such as phenolic and flavonoid compounds, fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential oils and have traditionally been used…
- Modulation of Cell Death Pathways for Cellular Protection and Anti-Tumoral Activity: The Role of Thymus spp. Extracts and Their Bioactive Moleculesby Carlos Martins-Gomes on January 21, 2023 at 11:00 am
Natural products used for their health-promoting properties have accompanied the evolution of humanity. Nowadays, as an effort to scientifically validate the health-promoting effects described by traditional medicine, an ever-growing number of bioactivities are being described for natural products and the phytochemicals that constitute them. Among them, medicinal plants and more specifically the Thymus genus spp., arise as products already present in the diet and with high acceptance, that are a…
- Polyphenolic Profile of Tunisian Thyme (Thymbra capitata L.) Post-Distilled Residues: Evaluation of Total Phenolic Content and Phenolic Compounds and Their Contribution to Antioxidant Activityby Kheiria Hcini on December 23, 2022 at 11:00 am
During the last decade there has been growing interest in the formulation of new cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products containing natural compounds with antioxidant activity and other beneficial properties. Aromatic and medicinal plants have always been the major source of bioactive compounds, especially, wild thyme (Thymbra capitata L.), which has been used since ancient times for its valuable health benefits that could be attributed to the richness of polyphenolic compounds. This study…
- HPLC, FTIR and GC-MS Analyses of Thymus vulgaris Phytochemicals Executing In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Activities and Effects on COX-1, COX-2 and Gastric Cancer Genes Computationallyby Ayesha Saleem on December 11, 2022 at 11:00 am
Medicinal plants have played an essential role in the treatment of various diseases. Thymus vulgaris, a medicinal plant, has been extensively used for biological and pharmaceutical potential. The current study was performed to check the biopotential of active biological compounds. The GC-MS analysis identified 31 compounds in methanolic crude extract, among which thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and eugenol are the main phytoconstituents present in T. vulgaris. The HPLC analysis quantified that…
- Unraveling the Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses, and Biological and Pharmacological Activities of Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reutby Ismail Mahdi on June 6, 2022 at 10:00 am
Growing concern for public health has increased the need to change the paradigm towards a healthcare system that advocates holistic practices while reducing adverse effects. Herbal therapy is becoming an integral part of the therapeutic arsenal, and several successful plant-derived compounds/molecules are being introduced into the market. The medicinal plants belonging to the genus Thymus are among the most important species within the Lamiaceae family. One of them is Thymus algeriensis which is…
References
Akram, M., & Rashid, A. (2017). Anti-coagulant activity of plants: mini review. Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, 44(3), 406-411. doi:10.1007/s11239-017-1546-5
Erol, S., Aydin, B., Dilli, D., Okumus, N., Zenciroglu, A., & Gunduz, M. (2014). An interesting newborn case of fructose 1-6 diphosphatase deficiency triggered after thyme juice ingestion. Clínica y Laboratorio, 60(1), 151-153. doi:10.7754/clin.lab.2013.130245
Halmai, J. (1972). Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as employed for the ancient methods of embalming. Therapia Hungarica, 20(4), 162-165.
Sienkiewicz, M., Łysakowska, M., Denys, P., & Kowalczyk, E. (2012). The antimicrobial activity of thyme essential oil against multidrug resistant clinical bacterial strains. Microb Drug Resist, 18(2), 137-148. doi:10.1089/mdr.2011.0080
Vetvicka, V., & Vetvickova, J. (2016). Essential Oils from Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Chemical Composition and Biological Effects in Mouse Model. Journal of Medicinal Food, 19(12), 1180-1187. doi:10.1089/jmf.2016.0029
Other Links
Natural Medicines record for Thyme (access UI only)