Thymus vulgaris
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris, commonly known as thyme, is a perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Renowned for its aromatic leaves, this medicinal plant is rich in essential oils like thymol. It offers potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, making it a staple in traditional remedies for respiratory health.
- Scientific name: Thymus vulgaris
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Thymus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Lamiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Thymus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Thymus vulgaris, is recognized by various traditional names across different languages. In Basque, it is called ezkai, while in Polish, it is commonly referred to as macierzanka tymianek. It is known as Timiāns in Latvian, tomiño in Galician, and in Estonian, it is called aed-liivatee.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| eu | ezkai | Wikidata |
| pl | macierzanka tymianek | Wikidata |
| lv | Timiāns | Wikidata |
| gl | tomiño | Wikidata |
| et | aed-liivatee | Wikidata |
| de | Echter Thymian | Wikidata |
| hsb | Prawa babyduška | Wikidata |
| nl | Echte tijm | Wikidata |
| sv | Kryddtimjan | Wikidata |
| ht | Ten | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several key regions in Europe. In Northern Europe, its range extends through both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Belgium. The species is also well-documented across the Czechia-Slovakia region. Finally, its geographical distribution includes the country of Germany.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Switzerland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Thymus vulgaris, is highly valued in herbal medicine for its diverse therapeutic properties. Medicinally, the whole plants are often harvested to ensure maximum potency, though the most significant therapeutic compounds are concentrated within the aerial part of the organism. Specifically, the aromatic leaves serve as the primary source of its bioactive constituents. When processed, the plant yields potent essential oils that contain thymol, a powerful antimicrobial agent. These essential oils are frequently extracted from the vegetation to be used in various topical and aromatic applications.- Total parts
- 20
- Scientific sources
- 33
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| essential oil | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| leaves | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| essential oils | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| aerial part | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| whole plants | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| volatile oils | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| thyme oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| thyme leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| plant extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Thymus vulgaris has 137 reported phytochemicals identified across 283 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, flavonoids, rosmarinic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 137
- Scientific sources
- 283
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| thymol | 44 | ★★★★★ |
| carvacrol | 23 | ★★★★★ |
| p-cymene | 15 | ★★★★★ |
| flavonoids | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| rosmarinic acid | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Carvacrol | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Thymol | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Rosmarinic acid | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cinnamic acid | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Thymus vulgaris has 32 reported activities identified across 107 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Hepatoprotective.
- Total activities
- 32
- Scientific sources
- 107
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 26 | ★★★★★ |
| Antimicrobial | 17 | ★★★★★ |
| Antibacterial | 11 | ★★★★★ |
| Antifungal | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antispasmodic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticonvulsant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Thymus vulgaris has 140 reported medicinal uses identified across 188 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, inflammation, oxidative stress, COVID-19.
- Total uses
- 140
- Scientific sources
- 188
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| inflammation | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| COVID-19 | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Candida albicans | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Aspergillus niger | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| E. coli | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Listeria monocytogenes | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |