Botanical Name: Satureja Hortensis.
Perennial shrub growing in the arid hills around the Mediterranean sea. The small, green-grey leaves, with the curved edges inside, cover the thin branches emerging from the woody stems. The pungent taste and the rich aroma of the leaves makes thyme a popular spice for a lot of dishes.
Useful parts of thyme are the leaves and petioles of the flowers, which are harvested at the beginning of the flowering season and dry with care, away from the sun.
Dry thymus is used in the preparation of infusions, capsule powders and pharmaceutical products such as cough syrups. They can also extract an essential oil, which is made up of creams and antiseptic ointments.
Among the active compounds in thyme are:
- volatile oils (carvacol, linalol, pinen, borneol, timol),
- bitter substances,
- mineral salts,
Antiseptic intestinal, stomachic, carminative, choleretic, collagogue, expectorant; calming cough, diuretic, analgesic, capillary tonic, vermifug.
The savory preparations are indicated for: dyspepsia, bile dyskinesia, intestinal worms, wounds, rheumatism, gout, seborrhea.
The plant also helps treat digestive problems such as aerophagia, persistent eructation, flatulence, lazy digestion and poor bile flow, as well as calming cough, gout and asthma.
Studies have shown that essential thyme oil is antiseptic, so it is often recommended for minor cuts and wounds as well as bites and insect bites.
The plant is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of gum disease.
Precautions and contraindications
So far, thymp has not had adverse effects, but excessive use is not recommended.
During pregnancy and lactation moderate consumption of thyme is recommended.
Essential oil should only be used under medical supervision.