Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is an evergreen bush with woody stems and small, elliptical leaves. It is an aromatic plant in the mint family, a cultivar of the wild mountain thyme (Thymus serpyllum) which grows in Asia Minor, North Africa and the Mediterranean. The goats love the sweet thyme called thrimby that grows on the parched rocky slopes of the Greek islands, their milk tasting of it, as well as the other foraged herbs such as sage, sideritis and wormwood. The leaves of the plant are used for making tea while the essential oil is extracted from the whole plant.

Thyme infusion is well known for its antimicrobial, antitussive and antispasmodic properties, making it a good herb for treating infections of the mouth, throat and the rest of the respiratory tract. When you first get a sore throat you can just pick a few sprigs and put them in a cup of hot water, and after sipping it for a while, your throat will feel better. If the cough goes deeper a much stronger tea or the inhaled vapour of thyme oil will help clear the airway or sinuses of mucus.

Thyme also reduces spasm and thus alleviates the airway, a quality useful for treating asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Nicholas Culpepper says it is a general lung-strengthener while Maud Grieve recommends it at the commencement of a cold to bring down fever. She says that it can be pounded fresh and mixed with syrup, or made into an infusion for more serious complaints such as whooping cough.¹

Thyme breaks up congestion in the head as well as the chest and Dioscorides says that it should be boiled in vinegar for treating headaches. Thyme can also assist with the treatment of vertigo and ringing in the ears. This multi-faceted herb has a reputation as a stimulant and a tonic not only because of its direct action on the nervous system, but the circulation in general which delivers nutrients and oxygen to the brain, making it good for assisting tired students or the elderly suffering cognitive decline.²

The astringent nature of the herb, as well as its antimicrobial activity, make it a useful herb for treating digestive system problems as an infusion. These include colic, spasm, a loose bowel, infection and worms. It is also bitter, making it a digestive tonic. Dioscorides states that it was used for treating griping, hernia and inflammation of the liver, and he also recommends it pounded in a mortar mixed with salt, vinegar, rue and polenta for treating bloating and fermentation. ³ Used in cooking since ancient times, it helps with fat digestion just like fennel.

The laboratory has also contributed to our understanding of this herb. Cold-pressed thyme oil is in fact rich in bioactive compounds including flavonoids and phenolic acids of which thymol, p-cymene and α-terpinolene are the most abundant. These substances are active against several microorganisms including bacteria that spoil meat or cause infection, viral infections such as herpes, as well as fungi such as candida and tinea.^4,5

Furthermore, mountain thyme possesses antioxidant and anti-cancer properties with the compounds cavacrol, thymoquinone and thymol demonstrating anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activity against tumour cells in vitro, including leukaemia in mice.⁶ Even the honey from bees foraging on thyme has antioxidant activity, being enriched with active substances such as phenols, flavonoids, and flavonols.⁷

An infusion can also be applied externally for dandruff, skin rashes and wounds, or internally as a douche. You can rub the oil into your chest, use it as a deodorant, or make an alternative mixture by infusing the dried herb in apple cider vinegar. You can also leave the herb in a jar full of olive oil for two weeks, shake it every now and then, and use the oil for treating conditions such as tinea or head lice.⁸

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. London: Tiger Books International; 1994.

2.         Messegue M. Health Secrets Of Plants And Herbs. Collins; 1976.

3.         Dioscorides P. De Materia Medica. South Africa: Ibidis; 2000.

4.         Assiri AMA, Elbanna K, Abulreesh HH, Ramadan MF. Bioactive Compounds of Cold-pressed Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Oil with Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties. J Oleo Sci 2016;65:629–40.

5.         Sakkas H, Papadopoulou C. Antimicrobial Activity of Basil, Oregano, and Thyme Essential Oils. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2017;27:429–38.

6.         Jarić S, Mitrović M, Pavlović P. Review of Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Study of Thymus serpyllum L. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med ECAM 2015;2015:101978.

7.         Imtara H, Al-Waili N, Aboulghazi A, Abdellaoui A, Al-Waili T, Lyoussi B. Chemical composition and antioxidant content of Thymus vulgaris honey and Origanum vulgare essential oil; their effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity. Vet World 2021;14:292–301.

8.         Shipard I. How Can I Use Herbs In My Daily Life? Nambour: David Stewart; 2003.