Botanical Profile
Note: The current botanical assignment of rosemary is Salvia rosmarinus; Rosmarinus officinalis remains in common use as a historical synonym.
Note on monograph definition: Monographic drug contexts may include both Thymus vulgaris and Thymus zygis; species-specific statements should therefore be interpreted accordingly.
Common thyme is one of the best-known Mediterranean medicinal and culinary plants. The flowering herb, Thymi herba, and the essential oil are used primarily.
Thymus vulgaris L. is a perennial, strongly branched subshrub with small opposite leaves and pink to violet bilabiate flowers. The plant grows in dry, sunny, calcareous habitats of the Mediterranean region and is cultivated worldwide. The genus Thymus comprises numerous species and chemotypes; Thymus vulgaris is regarded as a pharmacognostic reference species.
Phytochemistry
Thyme contains essential oil with thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, linalool and other monoterpenes. Thymol and carvacrol chemotypes are particularly well known. The drug also contains flavonoids, apigenin and luteolin derivatives, rosmarinic acid, caffeic-acid derivatives, triterpenes and tannins. Quality control uses chromatographic methods to determine characteristic oil constituents.
Traditional Uses
Thyme has a long history of use in antiquity and the Mediterranean region. It became firmly established in European monastery gardens and herbals and is also a classic spice of southern European cuisine. EMA/HMPC, WHO, ESCOP and the European Pharmacopoeia list Thymi herba and Thymi aetheroleum as documented drug contexts.
Current Research
Research on thyme addresses chemotype diversity, essential-oil biosynthesis, thymol, carvacrol, linalool, rosmarinic acid and agronomic influences on oil quality. The genus Thymus is an important model for chemotaxonomic and natural-product studies of aromatic Lamiaceae.
Sources
- European Union herbal monograph on Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L., herba
- European Union herbal monograph on Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L., aetheroleum
- WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants – Thymi herba
- ESCOP Monographs – Thymus vulgaris
- European Pharmacopoeia – Thymi herba / Thymi aetheroleum
- Stahl-Biskup E., Sáez F. Thyme – The Genus Thymus
Notice
The information presented in this botanical profile has been compiled to the best of our knowledge and belief from botanical, phytochemical, historical and scientific sources. It is intended solely for general professional information and initial orientation.
The content does not constitute an assurance of specific properties, effects, qualities or possible uses of products or extracts. In particular, it does not constitute a guarantee, a statement of suitability, or a statement regarding marketability, permissibility or usability in specific applications or markets.
Assessment of the suitability of a raw material or extract for a particular intended use, as well as compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, is the sole responsibility of the respective user.