Omnia SanaCommon names in 24 European languages →
The complete database record: 2 documented constituents, 5 pharmacological actions, 9 traditional / indicated uses, with 14 cited sources.
Botanical Description
Low, woody-based aromatic perennial subshrub with small, narrow, grey-green leaves and small, pale pink to lilac, two-lipped flowers borne in whorled clusters along the upper stems.[11]
Habitat & Distribution
Grows on dry, sunny, rocky, well-drained soils; native to the western Mediterranean and widely cultivated as a culinary and medicinal herb worldwide.[11]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut just as flowering begins, when essential oil content is highest, and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place; essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the fresh or dried herb.[11]
Key Constituents
Phenolic monoterpenes responsible for the antimicrobial and expectorant actions.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents.
Pharmacological Actions
Traditional & Indicated Uses
Expectorant for productive (chesty) cough associated with cold and bronchitis - a fixed thyme-ivy extract combination outperformed placebo in acute bronchitis (faster, greater reduction in coughing fits)
inferred from anticancer action
more plants for cancer (anticancer research) →detailed sources →
Expectorant for productive (chesty) cough associated with cold and bronchitis - a fixed thyme-ivy extract combination outperformed placebo in acute bronchitis (faster, greater reduction in coughing fits)
Expectorant for productive (chesty) cough associated with cold and bronchitis - a fixed thyme-ivy extract combination outperformed placebo in acute bronchitis (faster, greater reduction in coughing fits)
Antimicrobial (thymol and carvacrol) - supports respiratory infection
inferred from antispasmodic action
inferred from antispasmodic action
inferred from expectorant action
inferred from antimicrobial action
Traditional Use & History
Thyme has a long Mediterranean and European tradition as an antimicrobial and expectorant remedy for coughs, bronchitis and sore throat, formalised in EU herbal monograph recognition, with a fixed thyme-ivy extract combination shown superior to placebo for acute bronchitis with productive cough in clinical trial.[11, 14]
Preparations
Dried herb infused in hot water as a traditional cough, cold and digestive tea.
Infusion used as a gargle for sore throat, drawing on the antiseptic essential oil constituents.
Standardized fluid extract, often combined with ivy leaf, the form studied in clinical trials for acute bronchitis.
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph suggests around 1-2 g of dried herb per cup, up to three times daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription; do not take the essential oil undiluted internally.
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Culinary amounts are safe. Thyme essential oil is a strong irritant - dilute well before any topical use and do not take the undiluted oil internally.
A cough that persists beyond about a week, or with fever or breathlessness, needs medical assessment. Avoid medicinal/oil doses in pregnancy; allergy is possible in people sensitive to the mint family (Lamiaceae).
Harvest Readiness
[13]
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Sakkas, H. and Papadopoulou, C (2017) 'Antimicrobial Activity of Basil, Oregano, and Thyme Essential Oils', Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 27(3), pp. 429-438. doi:10.4014/jmb.1608.08024 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.1608.08024 - Salehi, B., Mishra, A.P., Shukla, I., Sharifi-Rad, M. and others (2018) 'Thymol, thyme, and other plant sources: Health and potential uses', Phytotherapy Research, 32(9), pp. 1688-1706. doi:10.1002/ptr.6109 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6109 - Kowalczyk, A., Przychodna, M., Sopata, S., Bodalska, A. and others (2020) 'Thymol and Thyme Essential Oil-New Insights into Selected Therapeutic Applications', Molecules, 25(18), pp. 4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25184125 - Wirtu, S.F., Ramaswamy, K., Maitra, R., Chopra, S. and others (2024) 'Isolation, characterization and antimicrobial activity study of Thymus vulgaris', Scientific Reports, 14(1), pp. 21573. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-71012-2 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-71012-2 - Diniz, A.F., Santos, B., Nobrega, L.M.M.O., Santos, V.R.L. and others (2023) 'Antibacterial activity of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) essential oil against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolated from meat product', Brazilian Journal of Biology, 83, pp. e275306. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.275306 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.275306 - Tardugno, R., Serio, A., Purgatorio, C., Savini, V. and others (2022) 'Thymus vulgaris L. essential oils from Emilia Romagna Apennines (Italy): phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity on food-borne pathogens', Natural Product Research, 36(3), pp. 837-842. doi:10.1080/14786419.2020.1798666 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2020.1798666 - Doghish, A.S., Shehabeldine, A.M., El-Mahdy, H.A., Hassanin, M.M.H. and others (2023) 'Thymus vulgaris Oil Nanoemulsion: Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities', Molecules, 28(19), pp. 6910. doi:10.3390/molecules28196910 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28196910 - Oliva, M.L., Carezzano, M.E., Giuliano, M., Daghero, J. and others (2015) 'Antimicrobial activity of essential oils of Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare on phytopathogenic strains isolated from soybean', Plant Biology, 17(3), pp. 758-765. doi:10.1111/plb.12282 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.12282 - Vetvicka, V. and Vetvickova, J (2016) 'Essential Oils from Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Chemical Composition and Biological Effects in Mouse Model', Journal of Medicinal Food, 19(12), pp. 1180-1187. doi:10.1089/jmf.2016.0029 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2016.0029 - Sikic Pogacar, M., Klancnik, A., Bucar, F., Langerholc, T. and others (2016) 'Anti-adhesion activity of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) extract, thyme post-distillation waste, and olive leaf extract against Campylobacter jejuni on polystyrene and intestine epithelial cells', Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(8), pp. 2723-2730. doi:10.1002/jsfa.7391 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.7391 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (n.d.) 'European Union herbal monograph on Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L., herba (Thymi herba)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/thymi-herba Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/thymi-herba - Sharifi-Rad, M., Varoni, E.M., Iriti, M., Martorell, M., Setzer, W.N., del Mar Contreras, M., Salehi, B., Soltani-Nejad, A., Rajabi, S., Tajbakhsh, M. and Sharifi-Rad, J (2018) 'Carvacrol and human health: A comprehensive review', Phytotherapy Research. doi:10.1002/ptr.6103 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6103 - Plants For A Future 'Thymus vulgaris (Garden Thyme, Common Thyme)'. Available at: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Thymus+vulgaris Traditional / reference
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Thymus+vulgaris - Kemmerich, B., Eberhardt, R. and Stammer, H (2006) 'Efficacy and tolerability of a fluid extract combination of thyme herb and ivy leaves and matched placebo in adults suffering from acute bronchitis with productive cough', Arzneimittel-Forschung, 56(9), pp. 652--660. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1296767 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1296767
Selected studies & references
All 13 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
This profile is assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database, which we curate by hand. How this site is built.