Thyme (herb) - useful properties and uses of thyme, thyme oil. Creeping thyme, ordinary, lemon, bedbug, black, white

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Thyme (herb) - useful properties and uses of thyme, thyme oil. Creeping thyme, ordinary, lemon, bedbug, black, white
Thyme (herb) - useful properties and uses of thyme, thyme oil. Creeping thyme, ordinary, lemon, bedbug, black, white
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Useful properties and uses of thyme herb and oil

Botanical characteristics of creeping thyme

creeping thyme
creeping thyme

Creeping thyme is a perennial subshrub from the mint family (Lamiaceae). It reaches a height of 20-40 cm and ends with recumbent shoots. Stems with flowers are erect or ascending, covered with hairs. The leaves are oblong-elliptical in shape with short petioles dotted with glands with essential oil. Inflorescences capitate, compact. Calyx narrowly bell-shaped, hairy. Corolla pinkish-purple, two-lipped. The lower lip of the flower is longer than the tube, the lower lip is broadly ovate, notched.

Thyme blooms from May to late August, fruits ripen from July to September. The fruits are small ellipsoidal nuts up to 6 mm long. The plant reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. It can be found on the slopes and on the roadsides, on the edges and forest sunny glades, among the stone placers and on the rocks. The habitat of the plant is the middle zone of the European part of Russia, partly the Urals, Siberia, Kazakhstan.

Useful properties of thyme

For medicinal purposes, the aerial part of the plant is used, the time of collection and harvesting of grass is June-July. The leaves and stems of thyme contain many active substances - essential oil, resins, tannins, flavonoids, bitterness, mineral s alts. They also contain a variety of acids: ursolic, caffeic, quinic, thymic, oleonolic, chlorogenic. Due to this chemical composition, the plant has a wide spectrum of action. It is prescribed as an antipyretic, diuretic, anticonvulsant and sedative.

Creeping thyme is one of the best honey plants. It produces very fragrant honey. Previously, the dry parts of the plant were used mixed with other herbs for incense during worship. Today, raw materials from the aerial part of the plant are in demand in the perfume industry.

Using thyme

In folk medicine, creeping thyme has been widely recognized and used. It is prescribed for neuralgia and neuroses of various etiologies. With its help, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atony, intestinal cramps, and flatulence are successfully treated. With regular intake of thyme preparations, patients normalize digestion, stomach pain disappears, gas production decreases, and the intestinal microflora is normalized due to the disinfecting properties of the herb.

Infusions and decoctions of the plant are effective in bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, tracheitis, bronchopneumonia due to their enveloping, expectorant and antiseptic properties. They are able to enhance the secretion of bronchial glands and dilute sputum. Infusions and decoctions are prescribed as rinses for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity caused by pyogenic bacteria. In the form of ointments, lotions and compresses, thyme is used for joint pain, rheumatism and various skin diseases.

The plant is successfully used for inflammation of the vagina and leucorrhoea, especially in older women. Thyme is effective in inflammatory processes aggravated by pathogenic microflora that is insensitive to antibiotics. Preparations from thyme have an antimicrobial effect even with an insignificant content of phenolic compounds in it. The plant also helps with insomnia. It is believed that if you sleep on a pillow of this herb, then it relieves arousal and relieves headaches.

Thyme based recipes

thyme recipes
thyme recipes

Thyme teas are very popular. When coughing, they are used with honey, for diseases of the stomach and intestines - without sugar.

Recipe number 1. One or two teaspoons of dry chopped grass pour 250 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 10 minutes and filter. Drink 3 cups of tea a day.

Thyme is used as a condiment that improves digestion.

Recipe number 2. It is necessary to mix 5 g of thyme, 2 g of rosemary, 1 g of wormwood and 12 g of table s alt. Herbs are used in powder form. It is recommended to use a mixture for salads, second courses.

Thyme is used in the well-known cough medicine Perthussin.

Recipe number 3. You will need thyme extract - 12 parts, 80% alcohol - 5 parts, sugar syrup - 82 parts, potassium bromide - 1 part. When all the ingredients are mixed, a dark brown fragrant liquid with a sweet taste is obtained. It is used as an expectorant and sputum-thinning drug for bronchitis, whooping cough and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The product is available in 100 ml bottles. Adults are recommended to take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, and children - half a teaspoon, also 3 times a day.

Thyme decoction

Thyme decoction helps with furunculosis, diabetes, allergies.

Recipe number 1. Two tablespoons of chopped dry grass pour a glass of boiled water, boil for 1-2 minutes and leave for an hour in a warm place. The broth is filtered and taken 100 ml 3 times a day after meals.

A decoction of wormwood and thyme is an excellent remedy for the treatment of alcoholism.

Recipe number 2. Mix 4 parts of thyme and 1 part of wormwood. A tablespoon of the collection is poured into 250 ml of water, boiled in a water bath for 5 minutes, insisted and filtered. Take daily 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-3 months. Most often, after two weeks of taking the decoction, patients develop indifference to alcohol.

For colds and bronchitis, a decoction is also prepared.

Recipe number 3. A tablespoon of grass is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, boiled for 5-7 minutes in a steam bath and infused for 10-15 minutes. After straining, the decoction is taken warm 4-5 times a day, 1/3 cup. It can be drunk half an hour before a meal or 1.5–2 hours after it.

Infusion of thyme

For anemia, diabetes or inflammation, an infusion of thyme is prepared with blueberry shoots.

Recipe number 1. Blueberry shoots and thyme grass are mixed in equal proportions, after which 1 tablespoon of the mixture is poured into 250 ml of boiling water and infused for half an hour. Ready infusion after straining is divided into 2 servings and drunk during the day after meals.

For hair loss, dandruff or headaches, rinse your head with thyme infusion and let your hair dry naturally.

Recipe number 2. 1/3 cup of dry grass is poured with a liter of boiling water and infused for an hour. The infusion is used warm after straining.

Thyme is effective for colds and coughs and is used as an infusion.

Recipe number 3. A teaspoon of grass is poured into a glass of boiling water and infused for 10 minutes. After filtering, the patient drinks 1 glass of drink 3 times a day, sweetening the drink with honey.

Thyme tincture

thyme tincture
thyme tincture

Tincture of the plant is used externally for rheumatism and joint pain.

Recipe 1. In 100 ml of vodka, 3 tablespoons of dry grass are poured and insisted for three weeks in a dark place. After this, the tincture is filtered through several layers of gauze and used for rubbing.

Tincture of lemon balm and creeping thyme is used as an antipyretic and diaphoretic.

Recipe 2. 1 tablespoon of lemon balm and thyme pour 200 ml of vodka and leave for 8-9 days in a dark place. The bottle or jar of tincture is periodically shaken. After straining, the product is taken orally 3 times a day at the rate of 25-30 drops of tincture in half a glass of water or used externally for rubbing.

Thyme oil

In cosmetology, thyme oil is used in the production of shampoos, balms and other cosmetics for hair loss. It well strengthens weakened and damaged hair after perms and dyeing, restores exfoliating nails. In the form of hot compresses, it helps with rheumatic pains. Fresh herbs can be applied to insect bites.

Thyme oil prevents the development of putrefactive processes in meat. If added to meat broth, it can inhibit the growth of bacteria for three days. The oil stimulates digestion and is especially useful in atony of the stomach or intestines. It helps to strengthen the body after illness.

But when using oil, it must be diluted, as you can get burns. Even when taking a bath, the oil must first be dissolved.

Thyme oil ointment: 3 g of oil and 5 g of any neutral cream must be mixed well. The product is recommended for use in dermatitis, eczema, purulent skin lesions, pediculosis.

Growing thyme

Thyme seeds are sensitive to light, so they are sown without much soil. Seedlings appear on the 10-20th day after the air temperature reaches +20 ° C and above. In the first year, the plant produces only green twigs, very small and requiring regular weeding. In the second year it will bloom, but it is too early to collect grass. At the same time, you need to sprinkle some of the shoots with earth for their rooting, which will improve the nutrition and growth of the bush.

Another way to grow thyme is cuttings, it is used much more often. To do this, after flowering, the shoots are cut with sharp scissors. The lower part of the shoot is completely cleared of leaves, and the cutting is planted in a pre-watered hole. Watering is done every other day until new leaves appear. As the shoots grow, they are pinned and sprinkled with earth on top. When the roots grow, the plant can be transplanted to another place if necessary.

Due to the fact that thyme has a shallow root system, the soil is cultivated shallowly. However, the landing site must be cleared of weeds. It should also be noted that the plant prefers slightly alkaline and neutral soils, it loves sunny places. If it is moved to the shade, not only will it grow poorly, but its aroma will not be as strong as that of plants growing in well-lit places.

Thyme essential oil

thyme essential oil
thyme essential oil

A flowering plant contains up to 2% of essential oils in the form of a thick, dark, viscous liquid with a pungent odor and taste. After double distillation, all harmful substances disappear from the resulting oil and only useful elements remain, such as cymine, camphene, linalol, thymol, carvacrol and others. For example, carvacrol is used as an antibacterial substance in traditional medicine in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. Thymol has antihelminthic and antiseptic properties.

Thyme oil is used in the production of toothpaste, so it has a greater healing effect. The oil is prescribed for inflammation of the oral mucosa and gums. It promotes the production of white blood cells in the body, due to which the body is able to more effectively resist infections. This is especially necessary for people recovering from illness.

Oil stimulates the brain, relieves fatigue, drowsiness, restores appetite, improves memory. If you need to cheer up - thyme will help, if you need to relax - too. Surgeons used to add thyme when washing their hands before surgery because it is the best antiseptic commonly used. Having an antiseptic effect on the intestines, the oil is good for intestinal infections.

Thyme seeds

Seeds quickly lose their flavor, so it is advisable to add them to food immediately before eating. Thyme seeds are small oval nuts that are greyish-red or brown in color. The weight of 1000 seeds is approximately 0.2–0.5 g. One way to propagate thyme is by planting seeds. Since the seeds are very small and photosensitive, they should be sown no deeper than 1 cm. They can be sown both in winter, under snow, and in spring, in open soil. For better growth, the seeds are watered abundantly with water.

The first shoots appear after 2-3 weeks and grow very slowly at first. The soil must be dug up, fertilized, cleaned of weeds. The crop is harvested from the second year during the longest flowering period, in dry weather. Propagation from seeds is an easy and inexpensive way to spruce up your garden with beautiful and he althy varieties of fragrant honey thyme.

Fresh thyme

With the addition of fresh thyme leaves, medicinal ointments are prepared, used to heal wounds and insect bites. If fresh sprigs of thyme are hung in the closet, it will scare away the moths. Also, fresh leaves can be mixed with marshmallow and used in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, rheumatism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

An extract for homeopathic preparations is prepared from fresh thyme, it is used when pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, squash. Fresh sprigs can add a savory flavor to a sauce, soup, or second course and are served with peas and beans. This spice is indispensable in the preparation of game and fish dishes.

Thyme Extract

Extract is an extract of active substances from the composition of the plant. The main components of thyme extract are thymol and essential oil. They help to relieve cough and expectoration, relieve spasms and disinfect the respiratory tract. The extract is part of the drug "Pertussin", which has a pleasant taste and contributes to the speedy recovery of patients with bronchitis, whooping cough. An extract from a plant is used in dentistry as an anesthetic and disinfectant.

Not only here, but also in many countries of the world, thyme extract is used for medicinal purposes.

Common thyme

This is a small semi-shrub from 10 to 50 cm high, its stem is tetrahedral, strongly branching. Small ovate leaves (4–10 cm long) are covered with glands on both sides, slightly pubescent below, bare above. The flowers are small, delicate pinkish, sometimes white. The fruit is four nuts of red or brown color. The plant has a strong fragrant aroma. It blooms in June-July, bears fruit in August-September. Thyme does not grow wild in Russia.

Grow it for essential oil in Ukraine, Moldova, the North Caucasus. Thyme is native to the Mediterranean. Thyme herb is used in medicine. Thyme is harvested during its flowering period - in July, sometimes a second time - in September-October. Dry the grass in the air, without direct sunlight. Store raw materials in cloth bags in well-ventilated areas for about a year, no more. The essential oil of common thyme contains substances such as thymol and carvacrol, as well as linalool, borneol.

The composition of the plant includes organic acids such as triterpene, ursolic, coffee, chlorogenic, as well as tannins and flavonoids. Thyme has been successfully used in the treatment of the upper respiratory tract. It promotes expectoration and reduces spasms, while enveloping the mucous membrane. For inflammation of the oral cavity, rinses are prescribed, for skin diseases - baths and lotions. Common thyme has a subtle lemon flavor and is used as a spice in cooking and canning.

Lemon thyme

lemon thyme
lemon thyme

Lemon thyme is a subspecies of common thyme. Its only blossoming leaves are yellow, later they acquire a light green color. The plant has a pronounced lemon flavor and is used as a condiment in many parts of the world. Whether fresh or dried, thyme is added to bean and pea dishes and is one of the main aromatic herbs in French cuisine. The small leaves go well with desserts and seafood dishes. Before the fruits ripen, the aerial part of the plant is used to make drinks, vinegar, cocktails, tea.

Lemon thyme is a garden plant form. It loves the sun, loose soil, can do without fertilizers. It is better to plant this species in a sandy substrate and cut it off in the spring so that the plant does not grow. In a favorable climate, it grows easily and quickly in the garden, propagated by cuttings. Lemon thyme grows wild in Spain.

The plant has antiviral, sedative and anti-inflammatory properties. It promotes healing of wounds and abscesses, helps with psoriasis and eczema. In cosmetology, it is recommended for acne.

Bug thyme

This vulnerable species is listed in the Red Book of Russia. It grows in the middle reaches of the Volga, in Bashkiria, in the Volga region. The flowering of the plant near the city of Astrakhan has stopped.

Bug thyme is a green semi-shrub, reaching a height of 5–12 cm. Its stem is straight, shoots are vertical, leaves are ovate, dense, located along the entire length of the stem. The flowers are collected in a bunch at the top of the stem, have a delicate pinkish tint. This species reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. This grass grows on stony soil, blooms from June to August.

The collection of this plant is prohibited, although it has healing properties and belongs to the melliferous plants.

Black thyme

Fresh thyme is used to replace black pepper. Thyme fruits - black-brown nuts with a pleasant persistent aroma and bitter taste - ripen in August-September. You can also combine black allspice with thyme. The fruits of black thyme are part of the medicinal preparations. Essential oil is made from it. In the old days, thyme was sewn into amulets and worn on the body to scare away evil spirits. Thyme is used as a good immune stimulant.

Contraindications for the use of thyme

Due to the high content of thymol in the plant, it is contraindicated in renal and heart failure, with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum in the acute stage. It is not recommended for pregnant women because it can cause uterine contractions with a tonic effect. Overdose and long-term use of thyme preparations contribute to the development of hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease).

It is forbidden to treat children under two years of age with any herbal medicines. Self-medication is also contraindicated; overdose may cause nausea and vomiting.

You can use decoctions and infusions of thyme only after consulting a doctor. In cooking, too, do not be zealous with the addition of thyme to food. The essential oil contained in the plant can irritate the stomach, kidneys, and liver. The herb is contraindicated in patients suffering from bronchial asthma, pulmonary emphysema and hypertension. Take preparations made with the addition of thyme, should be carefully and dosed.

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