Introduction of Thyme:french thyme or garden thyme.
✵The article gives records of the herb Thyme, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Thymus vulgaris L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Thyme, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Thyme(garden thyme).
English Name: Thyme.
Latin Name: Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus zygis L.
Common Names: Common thyme, French thyme, garden thyme, rubbed thyme, Thymus zygis:Spanish thyme.
Property and flavor: the odor is aromatic and the taste tangy, somewhat bitter and camphorlike.
Brief introduction: Thyme is an aromatic perennial, a member of the mint family, and has stiff, woody stems that give rise to small clusters of lilac or pink flowers. The whole above ground herb, from these flowering tops to the narrow gray-green leaves, is used medicinally.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Thyme as the whole aboveground herb of the species (1). Thymus vulgaris L. It is a plant species of the Thymus genus, the Lamiaceae family (Labiatae, mint family). The whole aboveground herb and essential oil are used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Thymus vulgaris L.
Botanical description: Thymus vulgaris is a plant of the Thymus genus, the Lamiaceae family (Labiatae, mint family), the plant is a dwarf evergreen shrub that grows up to 50 cm high with an upright, ligneous (woody), and many-branched bushy, downy stem that never roots. Stems are clothed with tiny, linear to elliptic, pointed, gray-green leaves which are distinctively revolute, leaf margins are rolled under. The leaves are short-petioled, linear, or oblong-round, acute, glandular-punctate with an involute margin and a tomentose undersurface, the edge of the leaf blade is entire, and there are two leaves per node along the stem. Leaves are highly aromatic, and the fragrance reaches the peak just before plants flower.
The blue-violet to bright red labiate flowers are arranged in 3 to 6 blossomed axillary clusters, normally there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower. The calyx is bilabiate with a 3-tipped upper lip and a 2-tripped lower lip. The upper lip of the corolla is straight, and the lower lip is divided into 3. The stamens are splayed from the base. Whorls of tiny, tubular, lilac flowers appear on the stem at ends in late spring to early summer. Flowers are attractive to bees. Plants are evergreen in mild winters.
Ecological environment: Thymus vulgaris is native to the Mediterranean region and neighboring countries, and parts of Asia. It is introduced to other areas of the world and extensively cultivated.
Growth characteristics: Thymus vulgaris is easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. It prefers the dry, rocky soils of the Mediterranean. Common thyme makes a great addition to a pollinator garden. The flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.
Culinary uses: Thyme has a slightly bitter taste, long-lasting aroma, and mild smell. As a culinary herb, it is commonly used in spice vinegar, herb butter, stewed vegetables, cured meat, and cured fish.
Characters of herbs: Thyme is the stripped and dried leaves and flowers of Thymus vulgaris, Thymus zygis, or both species.
Pharmacological actions: ①.antispasmodic property; ②.expectorant property; ③.antibacterial and antifungal properties; ④.antispasmodic actions; ⑤.pain relieving, etc.
Thyme aromatic volatile oil phenols and their flavonoids explain many of its traditional uses. Its antispasmodic and expectorant properties explain its efficacy in conditions of bronchitis, upper respiratory catarrh (congestion), and pertussis (whooping cough), it relaxes the respiratory tract and boosts secretions, so they are easier to cough up.
Medicinal efficacy: Thyme is a common American spice, except for its traditional use as a kitchen herb, in a recipe to preserve meat, it was used by medieval knights as a symbol of courage, as an emblem of bravery. For centuries, it was used from Europe to China as an expectorant to relieve cough and sore throat, acute bronchitis, and whooping cough, to treat appetite loss, aid digestion, relieve gas, and chronic gastritis. It is still recommended by contemporary herbalists for these purposes, also for disinfecting wounds, eliminating skin parasites (crabs and lice), relieving aches and pains, and treating fungal infections such as athlete's foot. It is used in bath preparations to treat skin ailments such as bruises and sprains, and to relieve rheumatic symptoms. Thyme essential oil is used by aromatherapists as a powerful mood-enhancing herb for low spirits, fatigue, mental stress, and premenstrual tension. Its volatile oil extract thymol is used in cough drops, gas remedies, counterirritant skin preparations, mouthwashes, antifungal medicines, dental formulations, and cosmetics. In Europe, the herb thyme is approved for cough and bronchitis, its folk medicine use internally is for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, dyspeptic complaints, asthma, laryngitis, chronic gastritis, and whooping cough. Externally, it is used as a mouthwash and gargle for inflammations of the mouth and throat, pruritus, and dermatoses. It is also used externally for tonsillitis and poorly healing wounds.
Administration of Thyme (garden thyme):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Thyme (garden thyme)
Herbal classic books:
Dosage: An infusion is prepared using 1 teaspoon herb per cup of water (or add 1~2 grams herb to 150 ml of water), infusion is drunk up to 3 times per day. The single dose for the infusion is 1.5 grams herb, or 1~2 grams herb per cup of water, taken several times a day. Thyme syrup is taken in a teaspoonful several times per day. The dose for the herb powder is 1~4 grams of herb twice daily. A tea is prepared with 1.5~2 grams of herb with boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes, then strained (1 teaspoonful is approximately equivalent to 1.4 grams of herb), tea can be taken several times a day as needed. A 5% infusion can be used for compresses. Externally, a few drops of the tincture are applied as an antiseptic. For a bath, add a minimum of 0.004 grams of thyme oil to 1 liter of water, filter, then add to bath water drawn at a temperature of 35~38 °C (Celsius, or 95~100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), or alternatively, add 500 grams of herb to 4 liters of boiling water, filter, then add to bath water. Baths should be taken for 10~20 minutes. The essential oil needs to be diluted in carrier oil before being applied to the skin. The herb should be kept in a tightly sealed container, and protected from light and moisture.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Thyme is safe to use in culinary and medicinal concentrations, but the oil should be avoided ingesting directly, as it is toxic. In modest amounts such as a few teaspoonfuls, the thymol in the oil will cause adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, stomach pain, dizziness, headache, convulsions, coma, and cardiac and respiratory. As it is traditionally used for altering the menstrual cycle, pregnant women should avoid ingesting large amounts of thyme. Externally thyme can cause rashes in sensitive skin, thyme oil should be properly diluted in commercial formulations before applying to the skin, or you may have negative reactions including irritating the skin and mucous membranes, thyme oil in bath preparations has caused severe inflammation and hyperemia, in toothpaste, it can cause cracks in the corners of the mouth and a swollen tongue.
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1.Introduction of Thyme:french thyme or garden thyme.
✵The article gives records of the herb Thyme, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Thymus vulgaris L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Thyme, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
English Name: Thyme.
Botanical description: Thymus vulgaris is a plant of the Thymus genus, the Lamiaceae family (Labiatae, mint family), the plant is a dwarf evergreen shrub that grows up to 50 cm high with an upright, ligneous (woody), and many-branched bushy, downy stem that never roots. Stems are clothed with tiny, linear to elliptic, pointed, gray-green leaves which are distinctively revolute, leaf margins are rolled under. The leaves are short-petioled, linear, or oblong-round, acute, glandular-punctate with an involute margin and a tomentose undersurface, the edge of the leaf blade is entire, and there are two leaves per node along the stem. Leaves are highly aromatic, and the fragrance reaches the peak just before plants flower.
The blue-violet to bright red labiate flowers are arranged in 3 to 6 blossomed axillary clusters, normally there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower. The calyx is bilabiate with a 3-tipped upper lip and a 2-tripped lower lip. The upper lip of the corolla is straight, and the lower lip is divided into 3. The stamens are splayed from the base. Whorls of tiny, tubular, lilac flowers appear on the stem at ends in late spring to early summer. Flowers are attractive to bees. Plants are evergreen in mild winters.
Ecological environment: Thymus vulgaris is native to the Mediterranean region and neighboring countries, and parts of Asia. It is introduced to other areas of the world and extensively cultivated.
Culinary uses: Thyme has a slightly bitter taste, long-lasting aroma, and mild smell. As a culinary herb, it is commonly used in spice vinegar, herb butter, stewed vegetables, cured meat, and cured fish.
Characters of herbs: Thyme is the stripped and dried leaves and flowers of Thymus vulgaris, Thymus zygis, or both species.
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