Description:
Thyme oil is acquired from Thymus vulgaris, a member of mint family known as Lamiaceae. It is native to Southern Europe from the Western Mediterranean to Southern Italy. It grows up to 15-20cm in height, 40cm width, it is bushy, woody root herb with branched stem, small, aromatic, greenish grey leaves and clusters of pale purple or pink white flowers in late spring or early summer. Its largest producers are France, Morocco, and Spain.
Extraction:
Thyme oil is derived from fresh flowers and leaves through water or steam distillation.
Properties:
Thyme oil is reddish brown to amber in color and has sweet herbal smell. Its aroma is warm, strong and spicy-herbaceous.
Composition:
Thyme oil, its main constituents are alpha thujone, alpha pinene, camphene, beta pinene, paracymene, alpha terpinene, linalool, borneol, beta caryophyllene, thymol and carvacrol.
Blending:
Thyme oil is nicely mixes with bergamot, clary sage, cypress, tea tree, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lemon, lemon balm, marjoram, Peru balsam, rosemary, geranium.
Uses:
- It is used as mouthwashes, herbal rinses and liniments as it improve oral health and help in gum infection and tonsillitis.
- It is used as ingredient in hair products as it prevents hair loss.
- It is used in ears to fight bacterial and fungal infections.
- It is used in perfumery as it remove body odor.
- It is used in preparation of soaps, cosmetics and toothpastes.
- It boosts immune system, circulatory system, heart and digestive system, muscles and skin, tones up all organ and organ system as it promote overall health and treats various diseases such as infectious diseases, colds, flu & chills.
- It is used for treatment of urinary antiseptic, urithritis and cystitis.
- It provides strength to nerves and eases nervousness, aids memory and concentration.
- It improves blood circulation and elevates blood pressure so that cure problem of rheumatism and arthritis.
- It is used for treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, gout, muscular aches and pain, sprains and sport injuries.
- It is used for treatment of cellulite anorexia, obesity, edema, scanty periods, and leucorrhoea as it triggers removal of wastes.
- It reduces symptoms of chronic fatigue, alleviate fatigue.
- It is used in aromatherapy as it stimulate mind, uplifts mood.
- It is insect repellants as it can keep insects away.
- It prevents aging, acne, reduces appearance of scars & skin marks.
- It stimulates menstrual flow and provides relieve from pain and also treat menstrual & menopausal problems.
- It is diuretic, increases urination and helps in removal of toxins from body
- It has antispasmodic quality so help in treatment of coughs, convulsions, epileptic or hysterical attacks, cramps and muscular aches, abdominal and intestinal aches and spasmodic cholera.
- It is effective against wounds, sores, water retention, athlete’s foot and bites.
- It alleviate insomnia and promote relaxes asleep.
Safety and Precautions:
- It can irritate skin and mucus membrane so avoid while pregnant or high blood pressure patient.
- Don’t take it internally as it can cause nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and muscles problems.
- As it stimulates thyroid gland so do not take thyme oil hypothyroidism patient.
- Keep away thyme oil from reach of young children or infants.
Specification of Thyme Oil
Testing Protocol – BP
Botanical Source – Thymus vulgari
Part Used – Flowering aerial parts.
Description – Clear yellow or very dark reddish brown mobile liquid.
Solubility – Miscible with ethanol and light petroleum.
Odour – Reminiscent of thymol.
Identification
- TLC
- GC
Relative Density – 0.915 – 0.935
Refractive Index at 20° – 1.490 to 1.505
Alpha thujene – 0.2% – 1.5%
Beta-myrcene – 1.0% – 3.0%
Alpha terpinene – 0.9% – 2.6%
Y-terpinene – 4% – 12%
Para –cymene – 14% – 28%
Linalool – 1.5% – 6.5%
Terpinen – 4-ol – 0.1% – 2.5%
Carvacrol methyl ether – 0.5% – 1.5%
Thymol – 37% – 55%
Carvacrol – 0.5% – 5.5%
Storage – In well fitted container in cool and dark place.
