Thyme, a powerful antiseptic, is strongly anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic. It is used for this reason against all "difficult" infections, both of the ENT sphere (sinusitis, bronchitis, angina, sore throat, pharyngitis, laryngitis, rhinopharyngitis, influenza) and intestinal (infectious diarrhoea) as well as the genito-urinary system (cystitis), and skin (mycosis, scabies, ringworm, warts, seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, etc.).
It is also an immunostimulant and general tonic; as such, it is recommended for flu-like conditions and fatigue (overwork, burn out, general or immune fatigue, convalescence).
Find all the virtues and uses of essential oils in our tips section.
Thyme Thymol
thymus zygis thymoliferum
Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a perennial subshrub of the Lamiaceae family that prefers stony ground and sun-drenched garrigues. Growing to a height of seven to twenty centimetres, it has woody cylindrical stems arranged in clumps or dense bushes. Its small greyish leaves are oval and lanceolate; its highly melliferous flowers blossom in spikes at the leaf axils. Wild thyme, or shepherd's thyme, possesses similar properties.
Seven to thirty centimetres high, it has woody, cylindrical stems arranged in dense clumps or bushes.
Main aromatic molecules: Phenols (thymol, carvacrol), monoterpenes (paracymene), monoterpenols (linalool, terpinene-4-ol).
Family: Lamiaceae.
Producing organs: Flowering tops.
Yield: 1.7 to 2.5kg of essential oil per 100kg of flowers.
Equivalence: 1ml → 32 drops (dosage calculated for a calibrated dropper European Pharmacopoeia).
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Bath
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Skin application
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Oral route
Main properties
Recipes
Bronchitis
Dilute 5 drops of thyme essential oil in 1 teaspoon of sweet almond vegetable oil. Massage the soles of the feet with the mixture, 2 or 3 times a day, for 4 or 5 days. From the age of 12.
Flu condition
Sweeten a warm lemon juice with 1 drop of thyme essential oil and 1 drop of linalool thyme essential oil diluted in 1 teaspoon of honey. From 15 years of age.
Warts
Carefully apply 1 drop of thyme essential oil and 1 drop of lemon essential oil on the wart with a cotton bud, without overflowing. Repeat twice a day until the wart has completely disappeared. From the age of 12.
Always ask your pharmacist for advice.
Dilute 5 drops of thyme essential oil in 1 teaspoon of sweet almond vegetable oil. Massage the soles of the feet with the mixture, 2 or 3 times a day, for 4 or 5 days. From the age of 12.
Flu condition
Sweeten a warm lemon juice with 1 drop of thyme essential oil and 1 drop of linalool thyme essential oil diluted in 1 teaspoon of honey. From 15 years of age.
Warts
Carefully apply 1 drop of thyme essential oil and 1 drop of lemon essential oil on the wart with a cotton bud, without overflowing. Repeat twice a day until the wart has completely disappeared. From the age of 12.
Always ask your pharmacist for advice.
CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION
Worldwide thyme exchanges are estimated at two thousand tonnes per year. It is cultivated in France over nearly three hundred hectares, though it is faced with increasing competition from Turkey, Poland, Morocco and Spain.
FRAGRANCE
The odour of thyme, whose strength varies with variety, is both grassy and spicy. It is so pleasant that the plant derives its name from the Greek thyo, "to smell good, embalm".
EXTRACTION AND YIELD
The steam distillation of the flowering tops of thyme gives a yield of 1.7 to 2.5%, i.e. seventeen hundred grams to two kilograms of essential oil from one hundred kilograms of plant.
CHEMICAL FORMULA
A distinguishing feature of thyme is that it possesses seven main chemotypes, each of which has a strong dominant (alpha-terpineol, thymol, geraniol, linalool, paracymene and thujanol). The main active constituent of essential oil of Thymus vulgaris thymoliferum is a phenol (thymol).
Precautions for use
Essential oil of thyme is an stimulant: it should not be used after 5pm. It is aggressive to skin when used pure; consequently, it should not be used on large areas of skin and should be diluted to no more than 5% in a carrier oil. Specialist advice is required for oral use as it is hepatotoxic at high doses over extended periods. For cooking, one drop of essential oil is enough to perfume a dish for five to six persons.
Do not use in: pregnant or breast-feeding women, children under the age of twelve years, persons allergic to one of the components (geraniol, linalool, limonene), subjects with asthma without the advice of an allergologist before the first use, subjects with epilepsy, pure taken orally, in persons with a history of gastritis, peptic ulcer, viral hepatitis B, C or D.
Do not use in: pregnant or breast-feeding women, children under the age of twelve years, persons allergic to one of the components (geraniol, linalool, limonene), subjects with asthma without the advice of an allergologist before the first use, subjects with epilepsy, pure taken orally, in persons with a history of gastritis, peptic ulcer, viral hepatitis B, C or D.
OTHER CHEMOTYPES
Geraniol (Thymus vulgaris geranioliferum), linalool (Thymus vulgaris linaloliferum), paracymene (Thymus vulgaris paracymeniferum), thujanol (Thymus vulgaris thujanoliferum), alpha-terpineol (Thymus vulgaris L. terpineoliferum), carvacrol (Thymus vulgaris L. carvacroliferum).
OTHER RELATED SPECIES
Thymus satureioides, Spanish thyme (Thymus mastichina), wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum).
For thousands of years, humans have used thyme, that grows wild around the whole Mediterranean basin, to cure themselves and to enhance the flavour of their food. The Egyptians used it for embalming and Crete and Cyprus, laboratory islands for aromatic plants, ascribed great importance to this plant beloved by Aphrodite. The Romans used it in their toilet waters and beauty creams. A legend arose from the bitterness of thyme: it arose from the tears of the beautiful Helen, tormented by remorse for having caused the Trojan war. The fact that bees should make such a sweet honey from this bitterness impelled Plutarch to claim that, in this, they resembled "brave men able to derive benefit from their austere way of life". Taken as an infusion, thyme is one of the favourite "grandmother's medicine" remedies, used against considerable number of ailments, from indigestion to whooping cough.
AROMATHERAPIA
Extracts from the book 'Aromatherapia - All about essential oils', by Isabelle Pacchioni, watercolors by Patrick MORIN, Aroma Thera Editions . Extracts from the book '41 essential oils essential for treating yourself differently' and '48 essential oils which every home needs to be healthy' by Isabelle Delaleu and Isabelle Pacchioni, Publications of the Mandadori France group. Botanical illustrations by Agathe Haevermans.
The properties, benefits and method of use are given for information; they cannot in any case constitute or replace medical information that only health professionals can provide. For any use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes, please consult your GP or pharmacist.
The properties, benefits and method of use are given for information; they cannot in any case constitute or replace medical information that only health professionals can provide. For any use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes, please consult your GP or pharmacist.
