Thyme
Benefits and Uses of Thyme Herb and Oil
Botanical characteristics of creeping thyme
Thyme creeping is a perennial shrub from the family Lamiaceae. It reaches a height of 20–40 cm and ends with recumbent shoots. Stems with flowers - erect or erect, covered with hairs. Leaves of an oblong-elliptical shape with short petioles are studded with glands with essential oil. Inflorescences are capitate, compact. The calyx is narrowly bell-shaped, hairy. Corolla mauve, two-lipped. The lower lip of the flower is longer than the tube, the lower lip is broadly ovate, notched.
Thyme blooms from May to late August; fruits ripen from July to September. Fruits are small ellipsoidal nuts up to 6 mm long. The plant propagates by seeds and vegetatively. It can be found on the slopes and on the sides of the roads, on the forest edges and sunny glades, among the stone deposits and on the rocks. The habitat of the plant is the middle strip of the European part of Russia, partly the Urals, Siberia, Kazakhstan.
The beneficial properties of thyme
For medicinal purposes, the aerial part of the plant is used, the time for collecting and harvesting the grass is June-July. The leaves and stems of thyme contain many active substances - essential oil, resins, tannins, flavonoids, bitterness, mineral salts. They also contain a variety of acids: ursolic, caffeic, quinic, thymunic, oleonolic, chlorogenic. Due to this chemical composition, the plant has a wide spectrum of action. It is prescribed as an antipyretic, diuretic, anticonvulsant and sedative.
Creeping thyme is one of the best melliferous plants. Very fragrant honey is obtained from it. Previously, dry parts of the plant were used in a mixture with other herbs for incense at worship. Today, raw materials from the aboveground part of the plant are in demand in the perfume industry.
Uses of thyme
In folk medicine, creeping thyme has received widespread acceptance and use. It is prescribed for neuralgia and neuroses of various etiologies. With its help, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atony, intestinal spasms, flatulence are successfully treated. With regular intake of thyme preparations in patients, digestion is normalized, pain in the stomach disappears, gas formation decreases, and intestinal microflora is normalized due to the disinfecting properties of the herb.
Infusions and decoctions of the plant are effective for bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, tracheitis, bronchopneumonia due to their enveloping, expectorant and antiseptic properties. They are able to enhance the secretion of the bronchial glands and thin phlegm. Infusions and decoctions are prescribed in the form of rinses for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity caused by pyogenic bacteria. In the form of ointments, lotions and compresses, thyme is used for joint pain, rheumatism and various skin diseases.
The plant is successfully used for inflammation of the vagina and leucorrhoea, especially in older women. Thyme is effective in inflammatory processes aggravated by pathogenic microflora, insensitive to antibiotics. Thyme preparations have an antimicrobial effect even with an insignificant content of phenolic compounds in it. Also, the plant is good for insomnia. It is believed that sleeping on a pillow made of this herb relieves anxiety and relieves headaches.
Thyme based recipes
Thyme teas are very popular. When coughing, they are used with honey, for diseases of the stomach and intestines - without sugar.
Recipe No. 1. One or two teaspoons of dry crushed herbs are poured with 250 ml of boiling water, allowed to brew for 10 minutes and filtered. They drink 3 cups of tea a day.
Thyme is used as a condiment to improve digestion.
Recipe No. 2. You must mix 5 g of thyme, 2 g of rosemary, 1 g of wormwood and 12 g of table salt. The herbs are used in powder form. It is recommended to use a mixture for salads, main courses.
Thyme is used in such a well-known cough medicine as Pertussin.
Recipe number 3. You will need thyme extract - 12 parts, 80% alcohol - 5 parts, sugar syrup - 82 parts, potassium bromide - 1 part. When all the ingredients are mixed, a dark brown, aromatic liquid with a sweet taste is obtained. It is used as an expectorant and sputum-thinning drug for bronchitis, whooping cough and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The product is available in 100 ml bottles. Adults are recommended to take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, and children - half a teaspoon, also 3 times a day.
Thyme decoction
A decoction of thyme helps with furunculosis, diabetes, allergies.
Recipe number 1. Two tablespoons of chopped dry herbs are poured into a glass of boiled water, boiled for 1-2 minutes and insisted for an hour in a warm place. Strain the broth and take 100 ml 3 times a day after meals.
A decoction of wormwood and thyme is an excellent remedy for the treatment of alcoholism.
Recipe number 2. Mix 4 parts of thyme and 1 part of wormwood. A tablespoon of the collection is poured over 250 ml of water, boiled in a water bath for 5 minutes, insisted and filtered. Take 1 tablespoon daily 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-3 months. Most often, after a two-week intake of the decoction, patients develop indifference to alcohol.
For colds and bronchitis, a decoction is also prepared.
Recipe number 3. A tablespoon of herbs is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, boiled for 5-7 minutes in a steam bath and infused for 10-15 minutes. After straining, the broth is taken warm 4-5 times a day for 1/3 cup. You can drink it half an hour before meals or 1.5-2 hours after it.
Thyme infusion
In case of anemia, diabetes or inflammation, thyme infusion is prepared along with blueberry shoots.
Recipe number 1. Blueberry shoots and thyme herb are mixed in equal proportions, after which 250 ml of boiling water is poured over 1 tablespoon of the mixture and infused for half an hour. After straining, the finished infusion is divided into 2 portions and drunk during the day after meals.
In case of hair loss, dandruff or headache, rinse the head with thyme infusion and allow the hair to dry naturally.
Recipe number 2. 1/3 cup of dry herbs is poured with a liter of boiling water and insisted for an hour. The infusion is used warm after straining.
Thyme is effective for colds and coughs, for which an infusion is prepared from it.
Recipe number 3. A teaspoon of herbs is poured into a glass of boiling water and infused for 10 minutes. After straining, the patient drinks 1 glass of drink 3 times a day, sweetening the drink with honey.
Thyme tincture
Tincture of the plant is used externally for rheumatism and joint pain.
Recipe 1. 3 tablespoons of dry grass are poured into 100 ml of vodka and insisted for three weeks in a dark place. After this, the tincture is filtered through several layers of gauze and used for grinding.
Tincture of lemon balm and creeping thyme is used as an antipyretic and diaphoretic.
Recipe 2. 1 tablespoon of lemon balm and thyme pour 200 ml of vodka and leave for 8-9 days in a dark place. The bottle or jar of tincture is shaken periodically. After straining, the product is taken orally 3 times a day at the rate of 25-30 drops of tincture in half a glass of water or used externally for rubbing.
Thyme oil
In cosmetology, thyme oil is used in the production of shampoos, balms and other cosmetics for hair loss. It strengthens well weakened and damaged hair after perm and coloring, restores exfoliating nails. In the form of hot compresses, it helps with rheumatic pains. Fresh grass can be applied to insect bites.
Thyme oil prevents the development of putrefactive processes in meat. When added to broth, it can inhibit bacterial growth for up to three days. The oil stimulates digestion and is especially useful for atony in the stomach or intestines. It helps to strengthen the body after illness.
But when using oil, it must be diluted, as you can get burns. Even when taking a bath, the oil must be dissolved beforehand.
Thyme oil ointment: 3 g of oil and 5 g of any neutral cream must be mixed well. The tool is recommended for use in case of dermatitis, eczema, purulent skin lesions, head lice.
Growing thyme
Thyme seeds are sensitive to light, so they are sown without too much soil. Seedlings appear 10–20 days after the air temperature reaches +20 ° C and above. In the first year, the plant produces only green twigs, very small and requiring regular weeding. In the second year it will bloom, but it is too early to collect grass. At the same time, you need to sprinkle some of the shoots with earth for their rooting, which will improve the nutrition and growth of the bush.
Another way to grow thyme is by cuttings, it is used much more often. To do this, after flowering, the shoots are cut with sharp scissors. The lower part of the shoot is completely cleared of leaves, and the cutting is planted in a pre-watered hole. Watering is carried out every other day until new leaves appear. As the shoots grow, they are pinned and sprinkled with earth on top. When the roots grow, the plant can be transplanted to another place if necessary.
Due to the fact that thyme has a superficial root system, the soil is cultivated shallowly. However, the planting site must be weed-free. It should also be noted that the plant prefers slightly alkaline and neutral soils, it loves sunny places. If you move it to the shade, then it will not only grow poorly, but its aroma will not be as strong as that of plants growing in well-lit places.
Thyme essential oil
A flowering plant contains up to 2% of essential oils in the form of a thick, dark, viscous liquid with a pungent odor and taste. After double distillation, all harmful substances disappear from the resulting oil and only useful elements, such as cymin, camphene, linalol, thymol, carvacrol and others, remain. For example, carvacrol is used as an antibacterial agent in traditional medicine in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. Timol has antihelminthic and antiseptic properties.
Thyme oil is used in the production of toothpaste, due to which it has a greater healing effect. The oil is prescribed for inflammation of the oral mucosa and gums. It promotes the production of white blood cells in the body, due to which the body is able to more effectively resist infections. This is especially necessary for people recovering from an illness.
The oil stimulates the brain, relieves fatigue, drowsiness, restores appetite, and improves memory. If you need to cheer up - thyme will help, if you need to relax - too. Surgeons used to add thyme when washing their hands before surgery, as it is the best antiseptic commonly used. Having an antiseptic effect on the intestines, the oil is good for intestinal infections.
Thyme seeds
The seeds quickly lose their flavor, so it is advisable to add them to food immediately before eating. Thyme seeds are small oval nuts that are grayish-red or brown in color. The weight of 1000 seeds is approximately 0.2–0.5 g. One way to propagate thyme is to plant seeds. Since the seeds are very small and light-sensitive, they should be sown no deeper than 1 cm. They can be sown both in winter, under snow, and in spring, in open soil. For better growth, the seeds are watered abundantly with water.
The first shoots appear after 2–3 weeks and grow very slowly at first. The soil must be dug up, fed with fertilizers, cleaned of weeds. The crop is harvested from the second year in the largest flowering period, in dry weather. Seed propagation is an easy and inexpensive way to decorate your garden with beautiful and healthy species of fragrant honey thyme.
Fresh thyme
With the addition of fresh thyme leaves, medicinal ointments are prepared that are used to heal wounds and for insect bites. Hanging fresh thyme sprigs in a cupboard will scare away moths. Also fresh leaves can be mixed with marshmallow and used in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, rheumatism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
An extract for homeopathic preparations is prepared from fresh thyme; it is used for salting cucumbers, tomatoes, squash. Fresh sprigs can add a savory flavor to a sauce, soup, or main course and are served with peas and beans. This spice is irreplaceable when cooking game and fish dishes.
Thyme extract
An extract is an extract of active substances from the composition of a plant. The main components of thyme extract are thymol and essential oil. They help relieve coughing and expectoration, relieve spasms and disinfect the airways. The extract is part of the drug "Pertussin", which has a pleasant taste and promotes the speedy recovery of patients with bronchitis, whooping cough. An extract from a plant is used in dentistry as an anesthetic and disinfectant.
Not only here, but also in many countries of the world, thyme extract is used for medicinal purposes.
Thyme ordinary
It is a small shrub with a height of 10 to 50 cm, its stem is tetrahedral, strongly branching. Small ovoid leaves (4–10 cm long) are covered with glands on both sides, slightly pubescent below, glabrous above. The flowers are small, delicate pinkish, sometimes white. The fruit is four nuts of red or brown color. The plant has a strong fragrant aroma. It blooms in June-July, bears fruit in August-September. Thyme does not grow wild in Russia.
It is grown for the sake of essential oil in Ukraine, Moldova, in the North Caucasus. The homeland of thyme is the Mediterranean. The herb of thyme is used in medicine. Thyme is harvested during its flowering period - in July, sometimes a second time - in September-October. The grass is dried in the air, without direct sunlight. Raw materials are stored in cloth bags in well-ventilated areas for about a year, no more. The essential oil of thyme ordinary contains substances such as thymol and carvacrol, as well as linalool, borneol.
The plant contains organic acids such as triterpene, ursolic, caffeic, chlorogenic, as well as tannins and flavonoids. Thyme has been used successfully in the treatment of the upper respiratory tract. It helps to cough up and reduce spasms, while enveloping the mucous membrane. For inflammation of the oral cavity, rinses are prescribed, for skin diseases - baths and lotions. Thyme ordinary has a delicate lemon aroma, as a seasoning it is used in cooking and canning.
Lemon thyme
Lemon thyme is a subspecies of common thyme. Its only blossoming leaves are yellow, later they acquire a light green color. The plant has a pronounced lemon aroma; it is used as a seasoning in many countries of the world. Fresh or dried, thyme is added to dishes made from beans and peas; in French cuisine, it is one of the main aromatic herbs. Small leaves go well with desserts and seafood dishes. Before the fruits ripen, the aerial part of the plant is used for making drinks, vinegar, cocktails, and tea.
Lemon thyme is a garden form of a plant. It loves the sun, loose soil, can do without fertilizers. It is better to plant this species in a sandy substrate and cut it off in spring so that the plant does not grow. In a favorable climate, it easily and quickly grows in the garden, propagates by cuttings. Lemon thyme grows wild in Spain.
The plant has antiviral, sedative and anti-inflammatory properties. It promotes healing of wounds and abscesses, helps with psoriasis and eczema. In cosmetology, it is recommended for acne.
Bedbug thyme
This vulnerable species is listed in the Red Book of Russia. It grows in the middle reaches of the Volga, in Bashkiria, in the Volga region. The flowering of the plant near the city of Astrakhan has stopped.
Bedbug thyme is a green dwarf shrub reaching a height of 5–12 cm. Its stem is straight, erect shoots, leaves are ovoid, dense, located along the entire length of the stem. Flowers are collected in a bunch at the top of the stem, have a delicate pinkish tint. This species reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. This herb grows on rocky soil, blooms from June to August.
The collection of this plant is prohibited, although it has medicinal properties and belongs to melliferous plants.
Black thyme
Fresh thyme is used to replace black pepper. Thyme fruits - black-brown nuts with a pleasant persistent aroma and bitter taste - ripen in August-September. You can also pair black allspice with thyme. Black thyme fruits are a part of medicines. Essential oil is made from it. In the old days, thyme was sewn into amulets and worn on the body to scare away evil spirits. Thyme is used as a good immune stimulant.
Contraindications to thyme use
Due to the high content of thymol in the plant, it is contraindicated in renal and heart failure, with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer in the acute stage. It is not recommended for pregnant women as it can cause contraction of the uterus due to its tonic effect. Overdose and long-term use of thyme preparations contribute to the development of hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (Graves disease).
It is forbidden to treat children under two years of age with any herbal medicines. Self-medication is also contraindicated, from an overdose there may be nausea and vomiting.
You can use decoctions and infusion of thyme only after consulting a doctor. In cooking, too, you should not be zealous with the addition of thyme to food. The essential oil contained in the plant can irritate the stomach, kidneys, and liver. The herb is contraindicated in patients suffering from bronchial asthma, emphysema and hypertension. Preparations made with thyme should be taken with caution and in dosage.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
