THYME ESSENTIAL OIL[THYMUS VULGARIS ]

Listing description

Oil of thyme is derived from thyme, also known as Thymus vulgaris. The perennial herb, a member of the mint family, is used in aromatherapy, cooking, potpourri, mouthwashes and elixirs, as well as in ointments. Thyme also has a number of medicinal properties, which is due to the herb's essential oils.

Detailed description

The benefits of thyme essential oil have been recognized for thousands of years in Mediterranean countries. This substance is also a common agent in Ayurverdic practice.2 Today, among the many producers of thyme oil, France, Morocco and Spain emerge as the primary countries bottling thyme oil.3

Uses of Thyme Oil

Due to thyme oil's antibacterial, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, expectorant, hypertensive and calming properties, it has a long list of uses that include:4^, 5

Home remedy — Thyme oil is used to help relieve and treat problems like gout, arthritis, wounds, bites and sores, water retention, menstrual and menopausal problems, nausea and fatigue, respiratory problems (like colds), skin conditions (oily skin and scars), athlete's foot, hangovers and even depression.

Aromatherapy oil — The oil can be used to stimulate the mind, strengthen memory and concentration and calm the nerves.

Hair product — It is said that thyme oil can help prevent hair loss, and is even added to shampoos and other hair products.

Skin product — Thyme oil can help tone aged skin and prevent acne outbreaks.

Mouthwashes and herbal rinses — Like peppermint, wintergreen and eucalyptus oils, thyme oil is used to improve oral health.

Insecticide/insect repellent — Thyme oil can keep insects and parasites such as mosquitoes, fleas, lice and moths away.

Composition of Thyme Oil

Thyme is an example of an herb with over 300 varieties and various chemotypes, which are plants with the same appearance, but which have different chemical compositions. Each chemotype yields different oils with corresponding therapeutic benefits.6

This occurs when the plant is grown in different environments, climates and soil.7Depending on which chemotype it is derived from, the oil of thyme produced will have a distinct chemical structure. The known chemotypes are:8

Thymus vulgaris thymol — This chemotype has strong antiseptic activities and is 60 to 70 percent thymol. It goes by the name of "thyme" and "red thyme," and is harvested during the fall.

Thymus vulgaris linalool — This is the most gentle of all thyme chemotypes. Referred to as "garden thyme," this variation has potent antiparasitic and antifungal properties, and is grown in high altitudes.

Thymus vulgaris carvacrol — As its name suggests, this type contains the chemical constituent carvacrol. Its amount will depend on when it is harvested. When collected in the spring, it will contain 30 percent carvacrol, and 60 to 80 percent when harvested right after flowering or during the fall. T. vulgaris carvacrol is known for its antiseptic properties.

Thymus vulgaris thujanol — Found only in the wild, this plant contains 50 percent thujanol and is known for its beneficial effects on the immune system and hormones. It is often called "sweet thyme."

Thymus vulgaris alpha-terpineol — This type is harvested during the early spring and has a pepper-like smell.

Thymus vulgaris geraniol — The geraniol chemotype has a lemon-like fragrance and is grown in high altitudes. It is often picked during autumn.

Thymus vulgaris 1,8 cineole — This contains 80 to 90 percent cineole and has diuretic, anticatarrhal, expectorant and analgesic properties.

Thymus vulgaris p-cymene — This should be obtained within spring or else it becomes a different chemotype.

Thymus vulgaris phenol­ — These are thyme plants that grow in high altitudes and contain up to 90 percent of phenol compounds.

Benefits of Thyme Oil

As I previously mentioned, thyme oil is an effective natural agent against nasty bacterial strains. A study9 presented at the Society for General Microbiology's spring conference in Edinburgh pointed out that essential oils may be efficient and affordable alternatives to antibiotics in the battle against resistant bacteria.

Among the essential oils tested, cinnamon oil and thyme oil were found to be the most successful against various Staphylococcus species, including the dreaded MRSA. Researchers said that this can help lower antibiotic use and minimize the formation of new resistant strains of microorganisms.

Oil of thyme can also function as a decontaminant for food products. As shown in Food Microbiology, both basil and thyme essential oils exhibited antimicrobial properties against Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri that may contaminate food. The compounds thymol and carvacrol in thyme oil demonstrated this benefit.10

Furthermore, thyme oil can be used as a preservative against spoilage and several foodborne germs that can contribute to health problems. It is effective against other forms of bacteria such as Salmonella, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas species.11

Other reports also show that oil of thyme has anti-inflammatory properties. In a research article published in the Journal of Lipid Research,12 six essential oils including thyme oil showed the ability to suppress the inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme in the same manner as the antioxidant resveratrol does.

It was noted that the chemical constituent carvacrol was responsible for this effect. The same study also noted that thyme and the other essential oils activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), which help suppress COX-2 expression.13 In addition to these, significant health benefits of thyme oil include:14

Helps reduce symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome	Stimulates menstrual flow
Increases circulation and elevates low blood pressure	Triggers the removal of waste that may lead to cellulite
Eases nervousness and anxiety	Helps fight insomnia
Eliminates bad breath and body odor

PRICE

$176.35/KG OR $80.15/IB

For more information:

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