| Thyme is one of the most well known culinary herbs | | | | perspiration. With its high content of volatile oil, |
| and is commonly grown in herb gardens. It is a small | | | | Thyme makes a good carminative for use in |
| perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, but has | | | | dyspepsia and sluggish digestion. This oil is also a |
| been adopted the World over. Thyme is an aromatic | | | | strong antiseptic, therefore, it is used externally as a |
| shrub with a gnarled woody stem that grows to 30 | | | | lotion for infected wounds, and internally for |
| cm tall. Its leaves are opposite and green-gray in | | | | respiratory and digestive infections. It may be of use |
| colour. It is a member of the Laminaceae (Labiatae) | | | | as a gargle in laryngitis and tonsillitis, easing sore |
| family. It's essential oil is extracted from the leaves | | | | throats and soothing irritable coughs. It is thus an |
| and flowering tops by steam distillation. | | | | excellent cough remedy, producing expectoration and |
| Thyme is known by many names including: Thyme, | | | | reducing unnecessary spasm. It may be used in |
| common thyme, garden thyme, common garden | | | | bronchitis, whooping cough and asthma. |
| thyme, mother of thyme, and others. | | | | As a gentle astringent it has found use in childhood |
| Constituents: | | | | diarrhoea and bed wetting. |
| The essential oils of thyme are grouped into three | | | | Combinations: For asthmatic problems it will combine |
| main types: thyme oil, which contains 42 to 60% | | | | well with Lobelia and Ephedra, adding its anti-microbial |
| phenols and is mainly thymol; origanum oil, which | | | | effect. For whooping cough use it with Wild Cherry |
| contains 63 to 74% phenols and is mainly carvacrol; | | | | and Sundew. |
| and lemon thyme oil, which contains citral. Essential | | | | Other indications include: |
| oils are extracted by steam distillation. | | | | - Oil contains the antibacterial chemical thymol. |
| Thyme oil has thymol, terpinen-4-ol, carvacrol, | | | | - Useful for all types of cough. |
| p-cymene, -pinene, camphene, -pinene, myrcene, | | | | - For asthma (steam inhalation), chronic asthma, |
| 1,8-cineole, -terpinene, d-linalool and other compounds. | | | | nervous cough, dry cough, hacking cough, whooping |
| Thyme oil is divided into two types, a red, unrectified | | | | cough, infection of lung or bronchial tubes, and |
| oil and a white, rectified oil. The essential oil content | | | | bronchitic asthma. |
| of the dried plant material is between 2 to 5%. | | | | - Used for intestinal infections, intestinal worms, |
| Traditional Applications in Herbal Medicine: | | | | fungal growths, thrush and mouth fungi (mouthwash |
| In herbal medicine, herbalists traditionally consider | | | | and gargle), wound cleanser, scrophulous skin |
| Thyme as an anti-microbial, anthelmintic (expels | | | | conditions (lotion), liver diseases, indigestion, and as a |
| parasitic worms (helminths) from the body), | | | | skin disinfectant (washing wounds before dressing). |
| antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, | | | | - The tea is used for colds, nervous conditions, colic, |
| emmenagogue (herbs which stimulate blood flow in | | | | and headache |
| the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate | | | | - The steam is inhaled from the infusion for |
| menstruation), expectorant, resolvent (promotes the | | | | congestion; often combined with marjoram and |
| resolving and removing of abnormal growths, such as | | | | chamomile. |
| a tumour, swelling , etc.), rubefacient (agent which | | | | - Oil used in liniments for muscle pain. |
| reddens skin, dilates the vessels, and increases blood | | | | - Used to combat itchiness. |
| supply locally), sedative, stimulant, and tonic. It is one | | | | The information provided here is not for the purpose |
| of the herbs that has a large number of therapeutic | | | | of self diagnosis or self treatment. It is provided for |
| properties and has both internal and external | | | | the sole purpose of providing general information |
| applications. | | | | about herbs used in herbal medicine. A licensed |
| Thyme has been used as a herbal medicine against | | | | physician should be consulted for diagnosis and |
| asthma, arteriosclerosis, colic, bronchitis, coughs, | | | | treatment of any and all medical conditions. |
| diarrhoea, and rheumatism and is used to promote | | | | |