Thymus vulgaris
Encyclopedia
Thymus vulgaris or common thyme
is a low growing herbaceous plant, sometimes becoming somewhat woody. It is native to southern Europe
, where it is often cultivated as a culinary herb
.
It typically grows as a sub-shrub, between 15 and 20 cm tall.
French, German and English varieties vary by leaf shape and colour and essential oils.
The many cultivars include 'Argenteus' (silver thyme).
received scarves embroidered with a sprig of thyme from their ladies. There was a popular belief, too, that a leaf tea prevented nightmares, while another held that tea made of thyme and other herbs enabled one to see nymphs and fairies. Herbalists of the Middle Ages regarded thyme as a stimulant
and antispasmodic
, and recommended sleeping on thyme and inhaling it as a remedy for melancholy and epilepsy
.
In 1725, a German apothecary discovered that the plant's essential oil
contains a powerful disinfectant called thymol
that is effective against bacteria
and fungi. Thymol also acts as a expectorant, loosening phlegm
in the respiratory tract so it can be coughed up. Later herbalists listed thyme for these uses and as remedy for numerous other complaints, including diarrhoea and fever. They prescribed the oil externally as an antiseptic for fungal infections such as athlete's foot
.
is not aware of any adverse effects of thymol to humans or the environment when it is used in a manner prescribed by product labeling.
Thyme
Thyme is a culinary and medicinal herb of the genus Thymus.-History:Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage...
is a low growing herbaceous plant, sometimes becoming somewhat woody. It is native to southern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where it is often cultivated as a culinary herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
.
It typically grows as a sub-shrub, between 15 and 20 cm tall.
Cultivars
Nomenclature can be very confusing.French, German and English varieties vary by leaf shape and colour and essential oils.
The many cultivars include 'Argenteus' (silver thyme).
Uses
Thyme adds a distinctive aromatic flavoring to sauces, stews, stuffings, meats, poultry – almost anything from soup to salad. In medieval times, the plant symbolized courage, and to keep up their spirits, knights departing for the CrusadesCrusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
received scarves embroidered with a sprig of thyme from their ladies. There was a popular belief, too, that a leaf tea prevented nightmares, while another held that tea made of thyme and other herbs enabled one to see nymphs and fairies. Herbalists of the Middle Ages regarded thyme as a stimulant
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
and antispasmodic
Antispasmodic
An antispasmodic is a drug or a herb that suppresses muscle spasms.-Smooth muscle spasm:One type of antispasmodics is used for smooth muscle contraction, especially in tubular organs of the gastrointestinal tract...
, and recommended sleeping on thyme and inhaling it as a remedy for melancholy and epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
.
In 1725, a German apothecary discovered that the plant's essential oil
Essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
contains a powerful disinfectant called thymol
Thymol
Thymol is a natural monoterpene phenol derivative of cymene, C10H14O, isomeric with carvacrol, found in oil of thyme, and extracted from Thymus vulgaris and various other kinds of plants as a white crystalline substance of a pleasant aromatic odor and strong antiseptic properties...
that is effective against bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
and fungi. Thymol also acts as a expectorant, loosening phlegm
Phlegm
Phlegm is a liquid secreted by the mucous membranes of mammalians. Its definition is limited to the mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that from the nasal passages, and particularly that which is expelled by coughing . Phlegm is in essence a water-based gel consisting of...
in the respiratory tract so it can be coughed up. Later herbalists listed thyme for these uses and as remedy for numerous other complaints, including diarrhoea and fever. They prescribed the oil externally as an antiseptic for fungal infections such as athlete's foot
Athlete's foot
Athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the skin that causes scaling, flaking, and itch of affected areas. It is caused by fungi in the genus Trichophyton and is typically transmitted in moist areas where people walk barefoot, such as showers or bathhouses...
.
Toxicology
The United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
is not aware of any adverse effects of thymol to humans or the environment when it is used in a manner prescribed by product labeling.
Other sources
- L. H. Bailey; Manual of Cultivated Plants.
- M. Easter; International Thymus Register and Checklist.