Herba Thymi

Definition
Herba Thymi is the dried leaves and flowering tops of Thymus vulgaris L. or of Thymus zygis L.
(Lamiaceae) (1, 2).
Synonyms
Lamiaceae are also known as Labiatae.
Selected vernacular names
Common thyme, farigola, garden thyme, herba timi, herba thymi, mother of thyme, red thyme,
rubbed thyme, ten, thick leaf thyme, thym, Thymian, thyme, time, timi, tomillo, za'ater (1, 37).
Description
An aromatic perennial sub-shrub, 2030 cm in height, with ascending, quadrangular, greyish
brown to purplish brown lignified and twisted stems bearing oblong-lanceolate to ovate-
lanceolate greyish green leaves that are pubescent on the lower surface. The flowers have a
pubescent calyx and a bilobate, pinkish or whitish, corolla and are borne in verticillasters. The
fruit consists of 4 brown ovoid nutlets (5, 8, 9).
Plant material of interest: dried leaves and flowering tops
General appearance
Thymus vulgaris
Leaf 412 mm long and up to 3mm wide; it is sessile or has a very short petiole. The lamina is
tough, entire, lanceolate to ovate, covered on both surfaces by a grey to greenish grey
indumentum; the edges are markedly rolled up towards the abaxial surface. The midrib is
depressed on the adaxial surface and is very prominent on the abaxial surface. The calyx is
green, often with violet spots, and is tubular; at the end are 2 lips of which the upper is bent back
and has 3 lobes on its end; the lower is longer and has 2 hairy teeth. After flowering, the calyx
tube is closed by a crown of long, stiff hairs. The corolla, about twice as long as the calyx, is
usually brownish in the dry state and is slightly bilabiate (1).
Thymus zygis
Leaf 1.76.5 mm long and 0.41.2 mm wide; it is acicular to linear-lanceolate and the edges are
markedly rolled toward the abaxial surface. Both surfaces of the lamina are green to greenish
grey and the midrib is sometimes violet; the edges, in particular at the base, have long, white
hairs. The dried flowers are very similar to those of Thymus vulgaris (1).
Organoleptic properties
Odour and taste aromatic (13, 5).
Microscopic characteristics
In leaf upper epidermis, cells tangentially elongated in transverse section with a thick cuticle and
few stomata, somewhat polygonal in surface section with beaded vertical walls and striated
cuticle, the stoma being at a right angle to the 2 parallel neighbouring cells. Numerous
unicellular, non-glandular hairs up to 30m in length with papillose wall and apical cell, straight,
or pointed, curved, or hooked. Numerous glandular hairs of two kinds, one with a short stalk
embedded in the epidermal layer and a unicellular head, the other with an 8- to 12-celled head
and no stalk. Palisade parenchyma of 2 layers of columnar cells containing many chloroplastids;
occasionally an interrupted third layer is present. Spongy parenchyma of about 6 layers of
irregular-shaped chlorenchyma cells and intercellular air-spaces (5).
Powdered plant material
Grey-green to greenish brown powder; leaf fragments, epidermal cells prolonged into unicellular
pointed, papillose trichomes, 60m long; trichomes of the lower surface uniseriate, 23 celled,
sharp pointed, up to 300m in diameter, numerous labiate trichomes with 812 secretory cells up
to 80m in diameter; broadly elliptical caryophyllaceous stomata. Six- to 8-celled uniseriate
trichomes from the calyx up to 400m long; pollen grains spherical; pericyclic fibres of the stem
(13).
Geographical distribution
Indigenous to southern Europe. It is a pan-European species that is cultivated in Europe, the
United States of America and other parts of the world (2, 3, 5, 10).
General identity tests
Macroscopic and microscopic examinations (1, 5), and chemical and thinlayer chromatography
tests for the characteristic volatile oil constituent, thymol [1].
Purity tests
Microbiology
The test for Salmonella spp. in Herba Thymi products should be negative. The maximum
acceptable limits of other microorganisms are as follows (1113). For preparation of infusion:
aerobic bacteria-not more than 10
7
/g; fungi-not more than 10
5
/g; Escherichia coli-not more than
10
2
/g. Preparations for oral use: aerobic bacteria-not more than 10
5
/ml; fungi-not more than
10
4
/ml; enterobacteria and certain Gram-negative bacteria-not more than 10
3
/ml; Escherichia
coli-0/ml.
Foreign organic matter
Not more than 10% of stem having a diameter up to 1mm. Leaves with long trichomes at their
base and with weakly pubescent other parts not allowed (1). The leaves and flowering tops of
Origanum creticum or O. dictamnus are considered adulterants (3, 5). Other foreign organic
matter, not more than 2% (2).
Total ash
Not more than 15% (1).
Acid-insoluble ash
Not more than 2.0% (1).
Moisture
Not more than 10% (1).
Pesticide residues
To be established in accordance with national requirements. Normally, the maximum residue
limit of aldrin and dieldrin in Herba Thymi is not more than 0.05 mg/kg (13). For other
pesticides, see WHO guidelines on quality control methods for medicinal plants (11) and
guidelines for predicting dietary intake of pesticide residues (14).
Heavy metals
Recommended lead and cadmium levels are not more than 10 and 0.3mg/kg, respectively, in the
final dosage form of the plant material (11).
Radioactive residues
For analysis of strontium-90, iodine-131, caesium-134, caesium-137, and plutonium-239, see
WHO guidelines on quality control methods for medicinal plants (11).
Other purity tests
Chemical, alcohol-soluble extractive, and water-soluble extractive tests to be established in
accordance with national requirements.
Chemical assays
Herba Thymi contains not less than 1.0% volatile oil (2, 3), and not less than 0.5% phenols.
Volatile oil is quantitatively determined by water/steam distillation (1), and the percentage
content of phenols expressed as thymol is determined by spectrophotometric analysis (1). Thin-
layer chromatographic analysis is used for thymol, carvacrol, and linalool (1, 15).
Major chemical constituents
Herba Thymi contains about 2.5% but not less than 1.0% of volatile oil. The composition of the
volatile oil fluctuates depending on the chemotype under consideration. The principal
components of Herba Thymi are thymol [1] and carvacrol [2] (up to 64% of oil), along with
linalool, p-cymol, cymene, thymene, -pinene, apigenin, luteolin, and 6-hydroxyluteolin
glycosides, as well as di-, tri- and tetramethoxylated flavones, all substituted in the 6- position
(for example 5,4'-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone, 5,4'-dihydroxy- 6,7,3'-trimethoxyflavone
and its 8-methoxylated derivative 5,6,4'-trihydroxy- 7,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone) (1, 36, 9).


Dosage forms
Dried herb for infusion, extract, and tincture (1).
Medicinal uses
Uses supported by clinical data
None.
Uses described in pharmacopoeias and in traditional systems of medicine
Thyme extract has been used orally to treat dyspepsia and other gastrointestinal disturbances;
coughs due to colds, bronchitis and pertussis; and laryngitis and tonsillitis (as a gargle). Topical
applications of thyme extract have been used in the treatment of minor wounds, the common
cold, disorders of the oral cavity, and as an antibacterial agent in oral hygiene (3, 5, 8, 15, 16).
Both the essential oil and thymol are ingredients of a number of proprietary drugs including
antiseptic and healing ointments, syrups for the treatment of respiratory disorders, and
preparations for inhalation. Another species in the genus, T. serpyllum L., is used for the same
indications (8).
Uses described in folk medicine, not supported by experimental or clinical data
As an emmenagogue, sedative, antiseptic, antipyretic, to control menstruation and cramps, and in
the treatment of dermatitis (7).
Pharmacology
Experimental pharmacology
Spasmolytic and antitussive activities
The spasmolytic and antitussive activity of thyme has been most often attributed to the phenolic
constituents thymol and carvacrol, which make up a large percentage of the volatile oil (17).
Although these compounds have been shown to prevent contractions induced in the ileum and
the trachea of the guinea-pig, by histamine, acetylcholine and other reagents, the concentration of
phenolics in aqueous preparations of the drug is insufficient to account for this activity (18, 19).
Experimental evidence suggests that the in vitro spasmolytic activity of thyme preparations is
due to the presence of polymethoxyflavones (10). In vitro studies have shown that flavones and
thyme extracts inhibit responses to agonists of specific receptors such as acetylcholine, histamine
and L-norepinephrine, as well as agents whose actions do not require specific receptors, such as
barium chloride (10). The flavones of thyme were found to act as noncompetitive and non-
specific antagonists (10); they were also shown to be Ca
2+
antagonists and musculotropic agents
that act directly on smooth muscle (10).
Expectorant and secretomotor activities
Experimental evidence suggests that thyme oil has secretomotoric activity (20). This activity has
been associated with a saponin extract from T. vulgaris (21). Stimulation of ciliary movements in
the pharynx mucosa of frogs treated with diluted solutions of thyme oil, thymol or carvacrol has
also been reported (22). Furthermore, an increase in mucus secretion of the bronchi after
treatment with thyme extracts has been observed (23).
Antifungal and antibacterial activities
In vitro studies have shown that both thyme essential oil and thymol have antifungal activity
against a number of fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus, Saprolegnia, and
Zygorhynchus species (2427). Both the essential oil and thymol had antibacterial activity
against Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and a number of other
bacterial species (28, 29). As an antibiotic, thymol is 25 times as effective as phenol, but less
toxic (30).
Contraindications
Pregnancy and lactation (See Precautions, below).
Warnings
No information available.
Precautions
General
Patients with a known sensitivity to plants in the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) should contact their
physician before using thyme preparations. Patients sensitive to birch pollen or celery may have
a cross-sensitivity to thyme (31).
Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, impairment of fertility
Thyme essential oil did not have any mutagenic activity in the Bacillus subtilis rec-assay or the
Salmonella/microsome reversion assay (32, 33). Recent investigations suggest that thyme
extracts are antimutagenic (34) and that luteolin, a constituent of thyme, is a strong antimutagen
against the dietary carcinogen Trp-P-2 (35).
Pregnancy: non-teratogenic effects
The safety of Herba Thymi preparations during pregnancy or lactation has not been established.
As a precautionary measure, the drug should not be used during pregnancy or lactation except on
medical advice. However, widespread use of Herba Thymi has not resulted in any safety
concerns.
Nursing mothers
See Pregnancy: non-teratogenic effects, above.
Other precautions
No information available concerning drug interactions, drug and laboratory test interactions,
paediatric use, or teratogenic effects on pregnancy.
Adverse reactions
Contact dermatitis has been reported. Patients sensitive to birch pollen or celery may have a
cross-sensitivity to thyme (31).
Posology
Adults and children from 1 year: 12g of the dried herb or the equivalent amount of fresh herb as
an oral infusion several times a day (30, 36); children up to 1 year: 0.51g (36). Fluid extract:
dosage calculated according to the dosage of the herb (37). Tincture (1: 10, 70% ethanol): 40
drops up to 3 times daily (38). Topical use: a 5% infusion as a gargle or mouth-wash (30, 38).
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