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Thyme

Thyme is a plant whose flowers, leaves and oil are used as medicine. Thyme is sometimes used in combination with other medicinal plants.

Thyme is used orally for bronchitis, whooping cough, sore throat, colic, arthritis, upset stomach, stomach pain, gastritis, diarrhea, bedwetting, a movement disorder called dyspraxia in children, flatulence, parasitic worm infections and skin diseases. It is also used as a diuretic to increase urine flow, disinfect urine and stimulate appetite. Some people use thyme for hoarseness, laryngitis, swollen tonsils, inflammation of the mouth and bad breath. Thyme oil is used as a germicidal agent in mouthwashes and liniments. It is also applied to the scalp to stimulate hair growth and is used to treat bacterial infections and fungal infections of the ears. Thymol, one of the chemicals contained in thyme, is used in combination with the chemical chlorhexidine as a dental varnish to prevent tooth decay. In food, thyme is used as a spice. In industrial production, red thyme oil is used in perfume. It is also used in the manufacture of soap, cosmetics and toothpaste.

How does thyme work?

Thyme contains chemicals that may help fight bacterial and fungal infections and soothe mild irritations. Thyme may also help to relieve smooth muscle spasms such as coughs.

How effective is thyme?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of thyme in the following applications:

  • Bronchitis, in combination with cowslip: New research suggests that thyme in combination with cowslip (Bronchipret) may relieve symptoms of bronchitis such as cough, fever and increased production of sputum.
  • Hair loss (circular hair loss, alopecia areata) in combination with other plant extracts: There is evidence that applying lavender oil in combination with thyme, rosemary and cedarwood essential oils to the scalp improves hair growth in 44% of patients after 7 months of treatment.
  • Improvement of movement disorders (dyspraxia) in children when used in combination with other medications: Taking thyme oil in combination with evening primrose oil, fish oil and vitamin E seems to improve movement disorders in children with dyspraxia.

There is also a lack of scientific information on the efficacy of thyme for colic, ear infections, inflammatory swelling of the tonsils, sore throat, bad breath and inflammatory swelling of the lungs and mouth, as well as its use to prevent bedwetting.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of thyme in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Thyme is safe and harmless when consumed in food form and when taken in medicinal quantities for short periods of time. However, thyme can cause stomach upset. Thyme oil appears to be safe and harmless when used on the skin. However, it may cause skin irritation in some people. It is not known whether ingesting thyme oil in medicinal quantities is safe and harmless.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Thyme is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women in normal dietary amounts. However, it is not known whether larger medicinal amounts are safe and harmless during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Allergies: People who are allergic to oregano may also be allergic to thyme.

Surgeries: Thyme could slow down blood clotting. There are concerns that this could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. For this reason, you should stop using thyme at least 2 weeks before planned operations

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining thyme with the following medications:

Medications that slow down blood clotting

Thyme could slow down blood clotting. Taking thyme in combination with medicines that also slow down blood clotting could increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise.

Some medications that can slow blood clotting include aspirin, diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen, naproxen and others.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of thyme depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to be able to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for thyme. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

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