THYME THYMUS VULGARIS

THYME (Thymus vulgaris L.) +++

Activities (Thyme) :
Abortifacient (f; CRC); Allergic (1; APA); Analgesic (1; APA; CAN; CRC); Antiallergic (1; MAB); Antialzheimeran (1; COX; FNF); Antianaphylactic (1; BGB; MAB); Antiarthritic (1; COX; FNF); Antibacterial (2; KOM; PIP; PH2; WAM); Anticancer (1; COX; FNF); Anticellulitis (1; TRA); Anticariogenic (1; MAB); Anticomplementary (1; BGB; MAB); Antiedemic (f; BGB); Antienuretic (1; CAN); Antiinflammatory (1; APA; BGB; COX; FNF; WAM); Antimutagenic (1; MAB; TAD); Antioxidant (1; MAB; PED); Antipyretic (1; CAN; WHO); Antiseptic (1; PIP; WAM; WHO); Antispasmodic (2; BGB; TRA; PH2; WAM; WHO); Antithyroid (1; APA); Antitussive (1; CAN; PNC; TRA; WHO); Antiulcer (1; MAB); Aperitif (f; CRC); Ascaricide (1; HH2); Astringent (PED); Bronchospasmolytic (2; BGB; KOM; PIP); Calcium Antagonist (1; TRA; WHO); Carminative (1; APA; BGB; MAD; PNC); Choleretic (1; TRA); Cicatrizant (1; TRA); CNS Depressant (1; TRA); COX-2 Inhibitor (1; COX; FNF); Decongestant (1; APA); Deodorant (1; CRC; MAB; PHR); Dermatitigenic (1; APA); Diaphoretic (f; APA; JFM); Digestive (1; APA; CRC); Diuretic (f; APA; CRC); Emmenagogue (1; FEL; MAD; WHO); Expectorant (2; KOM; MAB; PH2; TRA; WAM); Eupeptic (1; TRA); Fungicide (1; CAN; MAB; WHO); Hyperemic (1; APA); Hypolipidemic (1; MAB); Hypotensive (1; CAN); Immunostimulant (1; TRA); Insecticide (1; HH2); Mucogenic (1; CRC; WHO); Myorelaxant (1; MAB; TRA; WAF); Nervine (f; CRC); Pectoral (f; CRC); Phagocytotic (1; TRA); Respirosis (1; APA; CAN); Rubefacient (1; APA; CRC; MAB); Secretolytic (f; CRC; MAD); Secretomotor (1; CAN; CRC; MAD; WHO); Sedative (f; JFM; WHO); Stimulant (f; CRC); Tonic (f; CRC); Tracheorelaxant (1; CRC; MAB); Urinary Antiseptic (f; PHR); Vermifuge (1; APA; BGB; CAN; CRC; HH2; PED; TRA).

Indications (Thyme) :
Abscess (f; BGB); Allergy (1; MAB); Alopecia (1; MAB); Alzheimer’s (1; COX; FNF); Anaphylaxis (1; BGB; MAB); Anemia (f; CRC); Anorexia (f; APA; CRC); Arthrosis (1; COX; FNF; MAB); Ascaris (1; HH2); Asthma (f; CAN; CRC; MAD); Athlete’s Foot (1; APA); Bacteria (2; CAN; HH2; JFM; KOM; PIP; PH2; WAM); Bronchosis (2; KOM; PH2; PIP; WHO); Bruise (f; APA; CRC); Callus (f; CRC); Cancer (1; COX; CRC; FNF; JNU; MAB; TAD); Cancer, colon (1; COX; CRC); Cancer, liver (1; COX; CRC); Cancer, spleen (1; COX; CRC; JLH); Cancer, stomach (1; COX; CRC; JLH); Caries (1; MAB); Catarrh (2; APA; KOM; PH2; PIP); Childbirth (f; MAD); Chlorosis (f; MAD); Cold (1; CRC; WHO); Colic (1; CRC; FEL; MAB); Colitis (1; MAB); Congestion (1; APA); Cough (2; FEL; MAB; PHR; PH2; WAM); Cramp (2; BGB; CRC; MAB; TRA; PH2; WAM; WHO); Croup (f; MAD); Debility (f; CRC); Depression (f; APA); Dermatosis (1; MAB; PH2; WHO); Dermatomyososis (1; MAB); Diabetes (f; CRC); Diarrhea (f; CAN; CRC; MAB); Dislocation (f; HH2); Dysmenorrhea (1; FEL; MAB; WHO); Dyspepsia (1; CAN; CRC; PH2; WHO); Dyspnea (f; BGB); Enterosis (1; CRC; JLH; MAB); Enuresis (1; CAN); Escherichia (1; HH2); Fatigue (f; APA); Fever (1; APA; CAN; CRC; JFM; TRA; WHO); Fungus (1; CAN; JFM; MAB; WHO); Gas (1; APA; BGB; CRC; FEL; MAD; PNC); Gastrosis (1; APA; BGB; CAN; CRC; MAB; PH2); Gingivosis (1; CRC; WHO); Gout (f; BGB; CRC); Halitosis (1; BGB; CRC; MAB); Headache (f; CRC; FEL); Heart (f; CRC); Hepatosis (f; JLH); High Blood Pressure (1; CAN); Hysteria (f; FEL); Hookworm (1; JFM); Immundepression (1; TRA); Induration (f; JLH); Infection (1; CAN; HH2; JFM; MAB; WHO); Inflammation (1; COX; FNF; PH2; WAM); Insomnia (f; JFM; WHO); Itch (f; PH2); Kaposi’s Sarcoma (1; MAB); Laryngosis (1; CAN; CRC; PH2; WHO); Leprosy (f; CRC; MAD); Leukorrhea (f; CRC); Lichen sclerosis, vulval (1; MAB); Melancholy (f; CRC); Mucososis (1; MAB); Myalgia (1; MAB); Mycosis (1; APA; CAN; HH2; MAB; WHO); Nerve (f; TRA); Nervousness (f; JFM; WHO); Neuralgia (1; MAB); Neurosis (f; CRC); Obesity (1; MAB; TRA); Onychosis (1; MAB); Pain (1; APA; CAN; CRC); Paronychia (1; MAB); Pediculosis (1; APA); Pertussis (2; KOM; PH2; PIP; WHO); PMS (f; APA); Pulmonosis (f; CRC); Respirosis (2; KOM; PH2; PIP; WHO); Rheumatism (1; APA; CRC; FEL; MAB); Scarlet Fever (f; CRC); Sciatica (f; CRC); Scleroderma (1; MAB); Sclerosis (f; CRC); Scrofula (f; MAD); Snakebite (f; CRC); Sore (f; CRC; JLH); Sore Throat (1; APA; CRC; MAB; PH2); Spasm (f; CRC); Splenosis (f; CRC; JLH); Sprain (f; APA; CRC); Staphylococcus (1; HH2); Stomatosis (1; BGB; PH2; WHO); Streptococcus (1; HH2); Stress (f; APA); Swelling (f; BGB); Tonsilosis (1; CAN; MAB; PH2; WHO); Trichinosis (1; MAD); Tumor (1; CRC; FNF); Ulcer (1; MAB; MAD); Uterosis (f; CRC); Vulvosis (1; MAB); Wart (f; BGB; CRC; JLH); Water Retention (f; APA; CRC); Worm (1; APA; BGB; CAN; CRC; HH2; PED; TRA) Wound (1; PH2; TRA).

Dosages (Thyme) :
2–4 tbsp fresh leaf (PED); 3–6 g dry leaf (PED); 4.5 g dry leaf:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water (PED); 1 tsp herb/cup water 1–3 ×/day (APA); 1–2 g herb/cup several ×/day (KOM; PIP); 3 tsp (~7.2 g) herb in hot tea (MAD); 1–4 g dry herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day (CAN); 1–2 g herb in tea 1-several ×/day (children 1 year old to adults) (WHO); 0.5–1 g herb in tea (children up to 1 year old) (WHO); 1 tsp herb syrup several ×/day (APA); 0.6–4.0 ml liquid herb extract (CAN; PNC); 2–6 ml fluid herb extract (1:2)/day (MAB); 1–2 g fluid herb extract (PIP); 4–8 ml thyme elixir (CAN; PNC); 2–6 ml thyme tincture (1:5 in 45% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 5–15 ml herb tincture (1:5)/day (MAB); 0.05–0.3 ml herb EO (PNC).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Thyme) :
Class 1 (AHP). None known (KOM; WAM). CAN cautions that thymol in the volatile oil can irritate the GI tract and mucous membranes (CAN). Others caution that thyme is an emmenagogue and suggest that the EO be avoided in pregnancy. Toxic symptoms reported for thymol include cardiac arrest, cheilitis coma, convulsions, dizziness, gastralgia, glossosis, headache, hyperemia, inflammation, nausea, respiratory arrest, and vomiting. Thyme oil should not be taken straight, and not applied straight topically. There are no known problems with the use of thyme during pregnancy and lactation, provided the doses do not greatly exceed the amounts used in foods (AHP; CAN). Like any EO, that of thyme, like that of rosemary, can be toxic in large quantities, causing irritations to the intestines, kidneys, skin, and stomach. Michael Castleman raises a cautionary flag I don’t remember seeing elsewhere, “Children under age two should not be given medicinal preparations of thyme, and people with thyroid problems should seek their health-care provider’s advice before taking medicinal doses” (Castleman, 1996). Of course, some people say children under 2 should not be given any medicine. PHR gives us an EO warning template, “Where large skin injuries or acute skin illnesses, severe feverish or infectious diseases, cardiac insufficiency or hypertonia are present, entire-body baths should be carried out only following consultation with a doctor, no matter what the active agent is” (PHR). Thyme toothpastes can cause cracks in the corners of the mouth and a swollen tongue (APA).