This entry was posted 13 years, 1 month ago.
May 10, 2010
Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a quite popular medicinal herb which is used for its therapeutic benefits and as a culinary spice. The herb originates from the Mediterranean region and is known since the times of Ancient Egypt where it was widely used for embalming. In Ancient Greece, thyme was considered to be a symbol of courage and used to rise the spirit of the warriors. But the Romans were the first to start using thyme in culinary for its specific flavor: they were adding dried thyme leaves to their cheeses and wines.
Also, since early times thyme has been used for producing essential oil – thyme oil. This herbal oil has very strong flavor due to a high content of thymol, a natural phenol that is found in common thyme. Thyme oil can be diluted both from dried and fresh thyme leaves by steam or water distillation. Thyme oil is a source of such natural phenols as carvacrol, linalool, cineole, borenol and others. It is one of the principal oils that is used in aromatherapy, first of all, for its strong antibiotic properties.
Since ancient times thyme herbal remedies have been used for easing restlessness, stimulating sleep and combat nightmares. Common thyme is considered to be the greatest natural antibiotic and antispasmodic. Its antibiotic powers are used in many of natural mouthwashes and other dental products. Thyme herbal products can relieve the spasms of respiratory tract, and also thyme herbal tea can be used to ease the symptoms of indigestion, meteorism and other digestion problems. Common thyme is a good herb to be used for cleansing and stimulating detoxification.
Health benefits of thyme oil embrace its excellent antibacterial, antiseptic, stimulant, vermifuge, hypertensive, expectorant, diuretic and other powers. It can help us strengthen our nervous system, lower the effects of depression, improve memory and lower the chances of Alzheimer’s disease. Also, this oil has wonderful warming effects and can assist in blood flow normalization, relieving arthritis pains and muscle aches. Finally, health benefits of thyme oil also include its properties to fight respiratory infections and boost our immunity. Thyme oil can be used externally to treat skin infections, cuts, acne and other skin problems.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
June 10th, 2010 at 3:19 am
Hi Carla,
Do you know of anything that could kill a staph infection(besides antibiotics)?Do you know of anyone that was able to eradicate a staph infection(not located at skin level) using alternative medicine.I have just started trying out Cordyceps as some people reported that they were able to get rid of staph using this.Just wondering if you would know more from the research you’ve done.
Thanks,