Thyme, commonly used as a culinary herb and use for different medicinal purposes, is native to Mediterranean regions. This magical plant has one of the major constituent of essential oils, which is Thymol.
Several studies have evaluated the potential therapeutic uses of thymol for the treatment of disorders affecting the respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Thymol and thyme present a wide range of functional possibilities in pharmacy, food, and cosmetic industry.
Moreover, this compound also exhibits antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenesis, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic activities, as well as a potential as a growth enhancer and immunomodulator.
Review article from Salehi et al. 2018 showed various properties of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) from several studies.
Source: Salehi et al., 2018
Thymol and thyme having a wide antimicrobial spectrum against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including foodborne bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Listeria, and Bacillus species and some pathogens implicated in respiratory tract infections. The comparable review showed higher indicated potency of these essential oils (with a minimal inhibitory dose of 3.13–6.25 mg/L air) than those from other plants.
Thyme is a great expectorant when it comes to lungs. It is known for its expectorant specifications and antispasmodic abilities, used as herbal medicine for cough. Its abilities helps ease the cough, sore throat, break down the mucus, also to treat bronchitis, colds, asthma, and other upper respiratory infections.
Many studies also suggest that thymol possesses useful antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties may be related to its phenolic structure, which may adsorb and neutralize free radicals and exhibit redox properties.
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[1] Salehi, B., A. P. Mishra, I. Shukla, M. Sharifi-Rad, M. M. Contreras, A. S. Carretero, H. Fathi, N. N. Nasrabadi, F. Kobarfard, J. Sharifi‐Rad. 2018. Thymol, thyme, and other plant sources: Health and potential uses. Phytotherapy Research: 1–19.
