Thymus vulgaris and Thymus extract.
Article Content:
- .Botanical Info of Thymus vulgaris.
- .Plant Description and Origin.
- .Etymology:Thymus vulgaris.
- .Constituents and Phytochemicals.
- .Culinary Uses and Taking thyme.
- .Medicinal Uses and Functions.
- .Thyme Dosage Information.
- .Identified Applications.
- .Research Update:Thymus vulgaris.
Medicinal Uses and Functions.
Function:Aches and pains, acne, arthritis, asthma, boils, bronchitis, bruises, burns, catarrh, cellulite, colds, coughs, cuts, cystitis, dermatitis, diarrhea, dyspepsia, eczema, edema, flatulence, gout, gum infections, hypotension, infectious diseases, insect bites, laryngitis, lice, obesity, oily skin, pharyngitis, scabies, sinusitis, sluggish circulation, sore throat, sports injuries, sprains, stimulates CNS, stimulates immune system, tonsillitis, urethritis
Actions:Carminative,Anti-microbial,Anti-spasmodic,Relaxing expectorant,Astringent,Anthelmintic,Applications Dyspepsia,Sluggish digestion,Externally as lotion for infected wounds,Internally for respiratory and digestive infections,Gargle for laryngitis and tonsillitis,Bronchitis,Whooping cough,Asthma,Childhood diarrhea,Enuresis,Body Systems Digestive, Integumentary, Respiratory,anthelmintic, antibacterial, antibiotic, antimicrobal, antioxidant, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiputrefactive, antiviral, antivenomous, aperitif, aphrodisiac, astringent, bechic, cardiac, carminative, cicatrisant, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, hypertensive, insecticide, narasiticide, rubefactient, stimulant, tonic, vermifuge.
Medicinal Uses:
It is safe to use thyme as a seasoning during pregnancy, but strong medicinal doses should be avoided if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.
Thyme was grown in monastery gardens in southern France and in Spain and Italy during the Middle Ages for use as a cough remedy, digestive aid and treatment for intestinal parasites.
A solution of thyme's most active ingredient, thymol, thyme's most active ingredient, is used in such over-the-counter products as Listerine mouthwash and Vicks VapoRub because of its well-known antibacterial and antifungal properties. Thymol apparently also has a therapeutic effect on the lungs. Ingesting or inhaling the oil helps to loosen phlegm and relax the muscles in the respiratory tract.
In Germany, concoctions of thyme are frequently prescribed for coughs, including those resulting from whooping cough, bronchitis and emphysema. Thyme extract was included in a popular cough syrup, Pertussin, that is no longer on the market. Thyme is used in herbal teas prepared for colds and flus. In addition, thyme has antifungal properties and can be used against athlete's foot.
Other Uses:Essential; Fungicide; Ground cover; Pot-pourri; Repellent.
An essential oil from the leaves is frequently used in perfumery, soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes, medicinally etc. It has fungicidal properties and is also used to prevent mildew. The leaves are dried and used in pot-pourri. The plant makes an attractive ground cover for a sunny position. Plants are best spaced about 30cm apart each way. The dried flowers are used to repel moths from clothing whilst the growing plant is said to repel cabbage root fly.
Common thyme has a very long history of folk use for a wide range of ailments. It is very rich in essential oils and these are the active ingredients responsible for most of the medicinal properties. In particular, thyme is valued for its antiseptic and antioxidant properties, it is an excellent tonic and is used in treating respiratory diseases and a variety of other ailments. The flowering tops are anthelmintic, strongly antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, deodorant, diaphoretic, disinfectant, expectorant, sedative and tonic. The plant is used internally in the treatment of dry coughs, whooping cough, bronchitis, bronchial catarrh, asthma, laryngitis, indigestion, gastritis and diarrhoea and enuresis in children. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. Externally, it is used in the treatment of tonsillitis, gum diseases, rheumatism, arthritis and fungal infections[238]. The plant can be used fresh at any time of the year, or it can be harvested as it comes into flower and either be distilled for the oil or dried for later use. Thyme has an antioxidant effect, thus regular use of this herb improves the health and longevity of individual body cells and therefore prolongs the life of the body. The essential oil is strongly antiseptic. The whole herb is used in the treatment of digestive disorders, sore throats, fevers etc. The essential oil is one of the most important oils used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Bacterial'. It is used especially in cases of exhaustion, depression, upper respiratory tract infections, skin and scalp complaints etc. The oil can cause allergic reactions and irritation to the skin and mucous membranes.
Thyme is an important spice of European cuisines, especially in South Europe. It is especially typical for France, where fresh branches of thyme, tied up into bundles together with other fresh herbs, are added to soups, sauces and stews, being removed before serving (bouquet garni, see parsley).
Dried thyme is also a part of the herbes de Provence, a spice mixture from Provence (Southern France; see lavender). Thyme is furthermore popular in the non-European parts of the Mediterranean; for example, the Jordan condiment zahtar (see sumac) contains thyme as vital aroma. Another example is dukka, a typical spice mixture of Egypt. It is a slightly salted combination of roasted seeds (sesame, hazelnut), coriander, cumin, black pepper and thyme, predominantly used to flavour meat. Egyptian white bread eaten together with olive oil and dukka gives a very simple, but delicious meal.
In Central Europe, Thyme is most used for soups, fish, meat, poultry and eggs. Thyme, particularly lemon thyme, is a great addition to herbal vinegar (see dill). Industrially, thyme is often combined with marjoram for sausages and goes well with bay or boldo leaves. Cheese is sometimes flavoured with thyme.
In Britain, thyme is the most popular culinary herb besides mint. It also plays am important r?le in the cooking of the United States, particularly of the East Coast. The Creole cuisine of New Orleans (the only true regional cuisine of the US, see also sassafras) is particularly famous for its extensive use of thyme. A cooking technique peculiar to Creole cooking is the so-called blackening: Meat or fish fillets are dipped into molten butter, then coated with a spice mix and then fried very quickly at high temperature in a heavy skillet, without any further oil. The spices should become dark brown ("blackened"), but charring is not, in any case, desired. A typical spice mix for this purpose might, besides quite much salt and thyme, contain medium-hot paprika, white pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic and onion powder.
Thyme's popularity extends even more South: it is common in Central American cuisine. Jerk, the most famous culinary export item of Jamaica (besides rum, of course), often contains thyme; see allspice for more information.
A pubescent (hairy) thyme variety called wood pine:There are various opinions concerning the question whether herbs should be better used fresh or dried. Several herbs lose their flavour partially or in full when dried: Examples include coriander, parsley, tarragon, bear's garlic and dill, but also curry leaves and lemon grass. Advanced drying technology may in some cases preserve the original flavour, at least in part; but these herbs are, even with best dehydration equipment, always better used fresh than dried. Better preservation may be achieved with special preparations, (e.g., pesto made from basil). The loss of fragrance is mainly due to two causes: Aroma components escape to the air (evaporation) or may be chemically destroyed, mainly by oxidation.
Some herbs, however, show a different, even paradoxical, behaviour: Their spiciness actually increases when dried. Sometimes, one reads an explanation of that effect stating that on drying, structures in the plant tissue collapse which results in increased mobility and availability of the essential oil which can now easier diffuse into the foods. Besides thyme, that phenomenon can be observed in oregano and rosemary: For all three herbs, the (skilfully) dried herb surpasses the fresh one in intensity by a factor of two or three.
Fresh thyme is not only less intensive that dried thyme, but is has a more soft flavour, less smoky, and fits perfectly to Mediterranean vegetables (e.g., ratatouille, see lavender) or fish. Dried thyme, on the other hand, has a dominating smokiness that comes best in spicy foods, particularly meats (e.g., in the blackening procedure referred to above).
Properties and Historical Uses (Garden thyme): Anthelmintic, antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, sedative. As a tincture, extract, or infusion, Thyme was commonly used in throat and bronchial problems, including acute bronchitis, laryngitis, and whooping cough, and also for diarrhea, chronic gastritis, and lack of appetite. For coughs and spasmodic complaints, the medication was made from the fresh plant. A warm infusion promoted perspiration and relieved flatulence and colic. Oil of Thyme (thymol) has a powerful antiseptic action for which it was used in mouthwashes and toothpastes. Thymol was also effective against ascarids and hookworms. As a local irritant, it was used externally for warts or to encourage the flow of blood to the surface. Also, Thyme baths were said to be helpful for neurasthenia, rheumatic problems, paralysis, bruises, swellings, and sprains. A salve made from thyme was once used for shingles. CAUTION: Excessive internal use of Garden thyme can lead to symptoms of poisoning and to over-stimulation of the thyroid gland.
Properties and Historical Uses: (Mother of Thyme): Antispasmodic, carminative, expectorant, rubefacient, tonic. Mother of Thyme was beneficial for respiratory problems, helping to clear mucous congestion from the lungs and respiratory passages. It made a good tonic for the stomach and nerves, and was used for gastrointestinal problems such as mild gastritis, enteritis, stomach cramps, and painful menstruation. A bath additive made from the decoction stimulated the flow of blood toward the surface of the body and alleviated nervous exhaustion. An infusion of leaves was said to relieve the headache of a hangover. Used externally, alcoholic extracts were helpful for stab wounds, bruises, and symptoms of rheumatism. Mother of Thyme was also reputed to be useful in breaking the alcoholic habit by causing vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, thirst, and hunger, along with a revulsion for alcohol. This "folk cure" was probably repeated several times, but usually at longer and longer intervals. Mother of Thyme has also been recommended in the past for chlorosis, anemia, and insomnia.
Small amounts of Thyme are a sedative, whereas larger amounts are a stimulant. Thyme is used against hookworm, roundworms, and threadworms problems. Thyme warms and stimulates the lungs, expels mucus and relieves congestion. Both thymol and carvacrol have a relaxing effect upon the gastrointestinal tract's smooth muscles.
Known topical uses of Thyme have included the following: as a gargle and mouthwash for dental decay, laryngitis, mouth sores, plaque formation, sore throat, thrush, tonsillitis, and bad breath; as a compress for lung congestion such as found with asthma, bronchitis, colds and flu; as a poultice for wounds, insect bites and stings; as a wash for fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm, and use against parasites such as crabs, lice and scabies; as a douche for Candida; and as a compress for bruises. Thyme has also been used as an eyewash for sore eyes and as a hair rinse for dandruff; as a salve on acne, blemishes, burns and wounds; as a bath herb for sore muscles, arthritis, and colds; and as an essential oil added to soaps and antidepressant inhalations.
As a culinary additive, Thyme was even used as a strewing herb in the Middle Ages, being added to soups, stews, vegetables, chicken, jams, fruit salads, bouquets garni, gumbos, and Benedictine liqueur. Thyme aids in the digestion of high fat foods, and is used to preserve meat. Thyme honey, made when bees collect pollen from thyme flowers, is excellent.
Avoid therapeutic doses during pregnancy. As with most essential oils, it must be diluted before applying to the skin.
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.
Thyme enters into the formula for Herb Tobacco, and employed in this form is good for digestion, headache and drowsiness.
In Perfumery, Essence of Thyme is used for cosmetics and rice powder. It is also used for embalming corpses.
The dried flowers have been often used in the same way as lavender, to preserve linen from insects.
In this country, Thyme is principally in request for culinary requirements, for its use in flavouring stuffings, sauces, pickles, stews, soups, jugged hare, etc. The Spaniards infuse it in the pickle with which they preserve their olives.
All the different species of Thyme and Marjoram yield fragrant oils extensively used by manufacturing perfumers for scenting soaps. When dried and ground, they enter into the composition of sachet powders.
THYMOL, a most valuable crystalline phenol, is the basis of the fragrant volatile Essence of Sweet Thyme, and is obtainable from Carum copticum, Monarda punctata and various other plants, as well as from T. vulgaris, being present to the extent of from 20 to 60 per cent in the oils which yield it. Ajowan oil, its principal commercial source (from the seeds of C. copticum) contains from 40 to 55 per cent of Thymol; the oil of T. vulgaris contains from 20 to 30 per cent as a rule of Thymol and Carvacrol in varying proportions, while the oil of M. punctata contains 61 per cent of Thymol.
The extraction of Thymol is effected by treating the oil with a warm solution of sodium hydroxide: this alkali dissolves the Thymol, and on dilution with hot water the undissolved oil (terpenes, etc.) rises to the surface. The alkaline thymol compound is decomposed by treatment with hydrochloric acid and subsequent crystallization of the oily layer into large, oblique, prismatic crystals. Thymol (methyl-propyl-phenol) has been prepared synthetically.
When treated with caustic potash and iodine, it yields iodo-thymol, commonly known as 'Aristol.'
Camphor of Thyme was noticed first by Neumann, apothecary to the Court at Berlin in 1725. It was called Thymol and carefully examined in 1853 by Lallemand and recommended instead of Phenol (carbolic acid) in 1868 by Bouilhon, apothecary, and Paquet, M.D., of Lille.
Thymol is a powerful antiseptic for both internal and external use; it is also employed as a deodorant and local anaesthetic. It is extensively used to medicate gauze and wool for surgical dressings. It resembles carbolic acid in its action, but is less irritant to wounds, while its germicidal action is greater. It is therefore preferable as a dressing and during recent years has been one of the most extensively used antiseptics.
Thymol is also a preservative of meat.
In respect of its physiological action, Thymol appears to stand between carbolic acid and oil of turpentine. Its action as a disinfectant is more permanent and at the same time more powerful than that of carbolic acid. It is less irritating to the skin, does not act as a caustic like carbolic acid, and is a less powerful poison to mammals. In the higher animals it acts as a local irritant and anaesthetic to the skin and mucous membrane. It is used as an antiseptic lotion and mouth wash; as a paint in ringworm, in eczema, psoriasis, broken chilblains, parasitic skin affections and burns; as an ointment, halfstrength, perfumed with lavender, to keep off gnats and mosquitoes. Thymol in oily solution is applied to the respiratory passages by means of a spray in nasal catarrh, and a spirituous solution may be inhaled for laryngitis, bronchial affections and whooping cough. It is most useful against septic sore throat, especially during scarlet-fever. Internally, it is given in large doses, to robust adults, in capsules, as a vermifuge, to expel parasites, especially the miner's worm, and it has also been used in diabetes and vesical catarrh.
Thymol finds no place in perfumery, but the residual oil after extracting the crystalline Thymol from Ajowan oil, which amounts to about 50 per cent of the original oil, is generally sold as a cheap perfume for soap-making and similar purposes, under the name of 'Thymene.'
Till the outbreak of war, Thymol was manufactured almost exclusively in Germany. One of the chief commercial sources of Thymol, Ajowan seed (C. copticum), is an annual umbelliferous plant, a kind of caraway, which is abundant in India, where it is widely cultivated for the medicinal properties of its seeds. Almost the whole of the exports of Ajowan seed from India, Egypt, Persia and Afghanistan went to Germany for the distillation of the oil and extraction of Thymol, the annual export of the seed from India being about 1,200 tons, from which the amount of Thymoi obtainable was estimated at 20 tons. On the outbreak of war the export of Ajowan seed dropped to 2 tons per month, and there was a universal shortage of Thymol, just when it was urgently needed for the wounded.
As a result of investigations by the Imperial Institute, Thymol is now being made by several firms in this country, and the product is equal in quality and appearance to that previously imported from Germany. In India, also, good samples were obtained as a result of experiments conducted in Government laboratories in the early months of the War, and by the close of 1915 companies were already established at Dehra and Calcutta for its manufacture on a large scale. In the two years ending June, 1919, as much as 10,500 lb. of Thymol were exported from Calcutta.
Several other plants can be utilized as sources of Thymol, although none yield such high percentages as Ajowan seed. The following new sources of Thymol were suggested when the scarcity of the valuable antiseptic made itself so severely felt on curtailment of Continental supplies: Garden Thyme and Wild Thyme (T. vulgaris and serpyllum), American Horse Mint (M. punctata), Cunila mariana, Mosla japonica, Origanum hirtum, Ocimim viride and Satureja thymbra.
The oil of Thyme obtained by distilling the fresh-flowering herb of T. vulgaris is already an article of commerce, and contains varying amounts of Thymol, but the actual amount present is not very high, varying, as already stated, from 20 to 25 per cent, only in very rare cases amounting to more; and the methods of separation in order to obtain a pure compound are necessarily more complicated than in the manufacture from Ajowan oil.
The American Horsemint (M. punctata), native to the United States and Canada, seems likely to prove a more valuable source of Thymol than T. vulgaris. It yields from 1 to 3 per cent of a volatile oil, which contains a large proportion of Thymol, up to 61 per cent having been obtained; Carvacrol also appears to be a constituent. The oil has a specific gravity of 0.930 to 0.940, and on prolonged standing deposits crystals of Thymol.
Another species also found in America (M. didyma) (called also 'Oswego tea' from the use sometimes made of its leaves in America) is said to yield an oil of similar composition, though not to the same degree, and so far M. punctata is considered the only plant indigenous to North America which can be looked upon as a fruitful source of Thymol, though from C. mariana, also found in North America, an oil is derived - Oil of Dittany - which is stated to contain about 40 per cent of phenols, probably Thymol.
Satureja thymbra, which is used in Spain as a spice and is closely allied to the Savouries grown in the English kitchen garden, yields an oil containing about 19 per cent of Thymol. Other species of Satureja contain Carvacrol.
A new source of Thymol is also Ocimum viride, the 'Mosquito Plant' of West Africa and the West Indies, which yield 0.35 to 1.2 of oil from which 32 to 65 per cent of Thymol can be extracted. This plant occurs wild on all soils in every part of Sierra Leone, and is also grown in the Seychelles. In Sierra Leone it bears the name of 'Fever-plant' on account of its febrifugal qualities; a decoction is made from the leaves.
The Origanum oils shipped from Trieste and Smyrna generally contain only Carvacrol, the only species yielding Thymol exclusively and to a considerable degree being Origanum hirtum, which may be regarded as a promising source of Thymol.
Recently a Spanish species of Thyme has been used as a source of Thymol (T. zygis, Linn.), known to Theophrastus as Serpyllum zygis. It is common throughout Spain and Portugal, occurring in oak and other woods, in desert and dry gravelly places among the sierras of the central, eastern and southern provinces. In consequence of its wide distribution, the common names for the plant vary greatly; in Portugal it is known as Wood Marjoram, ouregao do mato; but the most frequently recurring name in Spain is Tomillo salsero or Sauce Thyme, from its use as a condiment. The species is very similar to T. vulgaris, but is easily distinguished by the comparatively large white hairs at the base of the leaves. The flowers are either purple or white, the white form being the only one occurring in the Balearic Islands, where it is called Senorida de flor blanca. There are two well-known varieties, var. floribunda and var. gracillis, a simpler, less-branched form, and it is the latter (not such a decided alpine as floribunda) which is now being used by a British manufacturer as a source of Thymol. See Chemist and Druggist, June 12th and July 17th, 1920. Var. gracilis is more easily collected on account of its lower station, and further unguarded exploitation of the wild plant might result in the substitution of var. floribunda, which it seems probable yields an oil with quite different characters and content from those of the oil obtained from var. gracilis.
Carvacrol has not hitherto been employed in medicine, but the antiseptic properties of Origanum oil, consisting principally of Carvacrol, as well as of the phenol itself, have been investigated and Iodocrol - iodide of Carvacrol - a reddish-brown powder, has been used lately as an antiseptic in place of iodoform in treatment of eczema and other skin diseases.
If required, a British Possession can provide Carvacrol as a substitute for Thymol. It can be obtained from oils derived from a variety of plants, but most profitably from the Origanum of Cyprus (Origanum dubium), which contains 82.5 per cent of Carvacrol. At the instance of the Imperial Institute, this Cyprus Origanum oil has been produced in commercial quantities from wild plants in Cyprus, and already in 1913 was exported thence to the United Kingdom to the value of L. (lear) 980. It is believed that the plant can be cultivated profitably and on a large scale in Cyprus, and experiments in this direction were begun shortly after the outbreak of war. The oil from O. onites, var. Symrnaeum - Smyrna Origanum oil - contains 68 per cent phenols, almost wholly Carvacrol. Other sources of Carvacrol are Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot), which yields 52 to 58 per cent of Carvacrol; Satureja montana (Winter Savoury or White Thyme), oil from wild plants of this species containing 35 to 40 per cent of Carvacrol; while that from cultivated plants has been found to contain as much as 65 per cent. A sample of Dalmatian Satureja, a form of S. montana, yielded at the Imperial Institute 68.75 of phenolic constituents, consisting mostly of Carvacrol.
Good digestive stimulant, useful for people with a sluggish digestive system, an intestinal antiseptic, helpful in gastric infections. It can expel intestinal worms like roundworm, threadworm and tapeworm. Thyme has been used in treating colds, coughs and sore throats.
Reference:
1.Thymus vulgaris and Thymus extract.
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