Omnia SanaPlant Comparison
Breckland Thyme vs Chasteberry
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Breckland Thyme and Chasteberry: both belong to the Lamiaceae family.
Key Constituents
The volatile oil, dominated by thymol and carvacrol, gives most of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
Contribute additional antioxidant activity.
Minor constituents studied for anti-inflammatory activity.
Bind dopamine D2 receptors in the pituitary, reducing prolactin release - the key mechanism.
Pharmacological Actions
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from gastroprotective action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anticancer action
inferred from gastroprotective action
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Eases cyclical breast pain (mastalgia) and menstrual-cycle complaints including cramping. The proposed mechanism is dopaminergic suppression of latent hyperprolactinaemia.
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Generally safe at culinary doses. Essential oil is highly concentrated and must be diluted before topical use; undiluted application can cause skin sensitisation. Not recommended internally during pregnancy (uterine stimulant effects possible). Phenol-rich thyme preparations should be avoided long-term in high doses. May potentiate anticoagulant medications.
Duke (2002) rates Thymus vulgaris (garden thyme, closely related to breckland thyme) as +++ with clinical evidence (score 2) for antibacterial, bronchospasmolytic, and antispasmodic activities, consistent with Commission E and WHO approvals for bronchitis and upper respiratory catarrh. The primary active constituent is thymol, with carvacrol as a secondary compound. Dose: 1–2 g dried herb as tea three times daily. The plant demonstrates COX-2 inhibitory activity and calcium antagonism, which may explain its antispasmodic effects (Duke, 2002).
Reported adverse events are mild and reversible (nausea, headache, gastrointestinal upset, menstrual changes, acne, itching or rash).
Because it acts on dopamine and the hormonal axis, avoid alongside dopamine-antagonist (antipsychotic) or dopamine-agonist drugs and use caution with hormonal medicines (oral contraceptives, HRT) and hormone-sensitive conditions.
Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A systematic review found only poor-grade evidence (theoretical, expert opinion and in vitro) suggesting oestrogenic, progesteronic, uterine-stimulant and emmenagogue activity, and expert opinion actively conflicts on whether chastetree increases or decreases lactation. The precaution rests on absence of safety data rather than on demonstrated harm.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Low, mat-forming, aromatic perennial subshrub with tiny, oval, strongly aromatic leaves on trailing, wiry, hairy stems that root as they spread. Small, pinkish-purple, two-lipped flowers are borne in dense whorled clusters at the stem tips.
Deciduous shrub or small tree with slender, aromatic, palmately compound leaves of narrow, lance-shaped leaflets, greyish-downy beneath. Small, fragrant, lilac to violet flowers are borne in long, slender terminal spikes, followed by small, dark, peppercorn-like berries with a peppery, aromatic taste.[1]
Habitat
Grows on dry, sunny heath, grassland, rocky ground and sandy soils; native to Europe and widely distributed across the northern temperate zone.
Native to the Mediterranean region and Central Asia, growing along riverbanks, streamsides and coastal scrub; widely cultivated in warm-temperate climates worldwide.[1]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts (flower and leaf) are cut at the start of flowering in summer and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.
The ripe berries are collected in autumn once they have darkened and dried, then further dried and stored for use in decoctions or standardised extracts.
Traditional Uses
Chasteberry has a long Mediterranean tradition, reflected in its 'chaste tree' name, historically used to reduce libido in monastic settings, and, more centrally to its modern use, as a traditional women's tonic for menstrual irregularities, premenstrual complaints and cyclical breast tenderness; standardised extracts are now among the best-clinically-studied herbal remedies for premenstrual syndrome, acting via dopaminergic modulation of prolactin.[1]
Preparations
References
Lookalikes Review
Dosage
Not documented
Clinical trials for PMS commonly use extracts providing around 20-40 mg of dried fruit extract daily, taken over several menstrual cycles for full effect. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References & Sources
- Jalil, B., Pischel, I., Feistel, B., Suarez, C. and others (2024) 'Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.): a review of the current evidence of nutritional and preventive health benefits', Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, pp. 1380962. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1380962 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1380962 - Sonmezdag, A.S., Kelebek, H. and Selli, S (2016) 'Characterization of aroma-active and phenolic profiles of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) by GC-MS-Olfactometry and LC-ESI-MS/MS', Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(4), pp. 1957-1965. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2144-1 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-2144-1 - Pavlic, B., Mrkonjic, Z., Teslic, N., Kljakic, A.C. and others (2022) 'Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) Extraction Improves Polyphenol Yield and Antioxidant Activity of Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) Extracts', Molecules, 27(5), pp. 1508. doi:10.3390/molecules27051508 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051508 - Mrkonjic, Z., Kaplan, M., Milosevic, S., Bozovic, D. and others (2024) 'Green Extraction Approach for Isolation of Bioactive Compounds in Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) Herbal Dust-Chemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity and Comparison with Conventional Techniques', Plants, 13(6), pp. 897. doi:10.3390/plants13060897 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060897 - Sokolic-Mihalak, D., Frece, J., Slavica, A., Delas, F. and others (2012) 'The effects of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) essential oil components against ochratoxin-producing Aspergilli', Arhiv za Higijenu Rada i Toksikologiju, 63(4), pp. 457-462. doi:10.2478/10004-1254-63-2012-2309 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.2478/10004-1254-63-2012-2309 - Jaric, S., Mitrovic, M. and Pavlovic, P (2015) 'Review of Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Study of Thymus serpyllum L', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015, pp. 101978. doi:10.1155/2015/101978 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/101978 - Loziene, K., Vaiciuniene, J. and Venskutonis, P.R (1998) 'Chemical composition of the essential oil of creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum s.l.) growing wild in Lithuania', Planta Medica, 64(8), pp. 772-773. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957582 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-957582 - Raal, A., Paaver, U., Arak, E. and Orav, A (2004) 'Content and composition of the essential oil of Thymus serpyllum L. growing wild in Estonia', Medicina (Kaunas), 40(8), pp. 795-800. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Content%20and%20composition%20of%20the%20essential%20oil%20of%20Thymus%20serpyllum%20L.%20growing%20wild%20in%20Estonia - Bozkurt, E., Atmaca, H., Kisim, A., Uzunoglu, S. and others (2012) 'Effects of Thymus serpyllum extract on cell proliferation, apoptosis and epigenetic events in human breast cancer cells', Nutrition and Cancer, 64(8), pp. 1245-1250. doi:10.1080/01635581.2012.719658 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2012.719658 - Jovanovic, A.A., Levic, S.M., Pavlovic, V.B., Markovic, S.B. and others (2021) 'Freeze vs. Spray Drying for Dry Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) Extract Formulations: The Impact of Gelatin as a Coating Material', Molecules, 26(13), pp. 3933. doi:10.3390/molecules26133933 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26133933 - European Medicines Agency (2010) 'Assessment report on Thymus vulgaris L., herba and Thymus zygis L., herba'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Assessment%20report%20on%20Thymus%20vulgaris%20L.%2C%20herba%20and%20Thymus%20zygis%20L.%2C%20herba - Kempe, K., Doerfler, G., Bader, D. and Wicht, M (2011) 'Activity of Thymus serpyllum against oral pathogens', 9(1), pp. 23--28. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Activity%20of%20Thymus%20serpyllum%20against%20oral%20pathogens - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.). Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
- van Die, M.D., Burger, H.G., Teede, H.J. and Bone, K.M (2012) 'Vitex agnus-castus extracts for female reproductive disorders: a systematic review of clinical trials', Planta Medica. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1327831 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1327831 - Csupor, D., Lantos, T., Hegyi, P., Benko, R. and others (2019) 'Vitex agnus-castus in premenstrual syndrome: A meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials', Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 47, pp. 102190. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.024 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.024 - Verkaik, S., Kamperman, A.M., van Westrhenen, R. and Schulte, P.F.J (2017) 'The treatment of premenstrual syndrome with preparations of Vitex agnus castus: a systematic review and meta-analysis', American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 217(2), pp. 150-166. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2017.02.028 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.02.028 - Ooi, S.L., Watts, S., McClean, R. and Pak, S.C (2020) 'Vitex Agnus-Castus for the Treatment of Cyclic Mastalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis', Journal of Women's Health, 29(2), pp. 262-278. doi:10.1089/jwh.2019.7770 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.7770 - Holler, M., Steindl, H., Abramov-Sommariva, D., Kleemann, J. and others (2024) 'Use of Vitex agnus-castus in patients with menstrual cycle disorders: a single-center retrospective longitudinal cohort study', Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 309(5), pp. 2089-2098. doi:10.1007/s00404-023-07363-4 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07363-4 - Cerqueira, R.O., Frey, B.N., Leclerc, E. and Brietzke, E (2017) 'Vitex agnus castus for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a systematic review', Archives of Women's Mental Health, 20(6), pp. 713-719. doi:10.1007/s00737-017-0791-0 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-017-0791-0 - van Die, M.D., Burger, H.G., Teede, H.J. and Bone, K.M (2009) 'Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste-Tree/Berry) in the treatment of menopause-related complaints', Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(8), pp. 853-862. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0447 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0447 - Daniele, C., Thompson Coon, J., Pittler, M.H. and Ernst, E (2005) 'Vitex agnus castus: a systematic review of adverse events', Drug Safety. doi:10.2165/00002018-200528040-00004 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200528040-00004 - Wuttke, W., Jarry, H., Christoffel, V., Spengler, B. and Seidlova-Wuttke, D (2003) 'Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) - pharmacology and clinical indications', Phytomedicine, 10(4), pp. 348-357. doi:10.1078/094471103322004866 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1078/094471103322004866 - Kuruzum-Uz, A., Stroch, K., Demirezer, L.O. and Zeeck, A (2003) 'Glucosides from Vitex agnus-castus', Phytochemistry, 63(8), pp. 959-964. doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(03)00285-1 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0031-9422(03)00285-1 - Rani, A. and Sharma, A (2013) 'The genus Vitex: A review', Pharmacognosy Reviews, 7(14), pp. 188-198. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.120522 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.120522 - Mollazadeh, S. and Mirghafourvand, M. and Abdollahi, N. G (2019) 'The effects of Vitex agnus-castus on menstrual bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 17(1). doi:10.1515/jcim-2018-0053 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2018-0053 - Tha\c ci, S. and Krasniqi, B. and D\"ermaku-Sopjani, M. and Rifati-Nixha, A. and Abazi, S. and Sopjani, M (2022) 'Vasorelaxant effects of the Vitex agnus-castus extract', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2022, pp. 7708781. doi:10.1155/2022/7708781 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7708781 - Puglia, L.T., Lowry, J. and Tamagno, G (2023) 'Vitex agnus castus effects on hyperprolactinaemia', Frontiers in Endocrinology. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1269781 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1269781 - Zeqiri, A. and Dermaku-Sopjani, M. and Sopjani, M (2022) 'The mechanisms underlying the role of Vitex agnus-castus in mastalgia', Bratislava Medical Journal, 123(12), pp. 913--918. doi:10.4149/BLL_2022_147 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4149/BLL_2022_147 - Atmaca, M. and Kumru, S. and Tezcan, E (2003) 'Fluoxetine versus Vitex agnus castus extract in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder', Human Psychopharmacology, 18(3), pp. 191--195. doi:10.1002/hup.470 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.470 - Zamani, M. and Neghab, N. and Torabian, S (2012) 'Therapeutic effect of Vitex agnus castus in patients with premenstrual syndrome', Acta Medica Iranica, 50(2), pp. 101--106. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22359078/ Randomized trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22359078/ - Dugoua, J.-J. and Seely, D. and Perri, D. and Koren, G. and Mills, E (2008) 'Safety and efficacy of chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) during pregnancy and lactation', Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 15(1), pp. e74--e79. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18204102/ Meta-analysis / review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18204102/
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.