Thymus serpyllum

Plant Name

Thymus serpyllum Linn.

Botanical Info

It is a perennial, low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10-20 cm long.

Geography:

Native to most of Eurasia and North Africa. Grows in temperate regions of Central Asia in mountains, on open sandy places, steppe pratums.

Chemical Content

The above-ground part of a plant contains an essential oil, flavonoids, triterpenic thymunic (0,05 %), ursolic, oleonolic, caffeic, chlorogenic, quinic acids, bitter tastes, pitches, tannins, saponins.
The main constituents of an essential oil are phenols (34-42 %), from them to 40 % of Thymolum, there is also a cymophenol, n-tsimol, pinene, gamma-terpinen, terpineol, L-borneol, karyophyllene.

Traditional Use and Activity

Leaf-bearing sprigs are used in medicine. Infusions, decoctions are prescribed prescribes to treat acute and chronic diseases of wind-pipes, a bronchial asthma and a tuberculosis. The liquid extract from the leaves is a part of the drug “Pertussinum” used in bronchitis and whooping cough. The thyme possesses bactericidal, anticonvulsant, soothing, wounds healing and anthelmintic properties. The above-ground part of the plant has expectorating action and is used in baths to treat joint inflammation. In the traditional medicine, a mother-of-thyme is used in the treatment of neuralgia and various neuroses. It is sudorific, diuretic, anticonvulsant, abirritating and hypotensive agent. It is used externally in the form of baths, lotions, and compresses for join and muscles pains and in the treatment of rheumatic disease, in wound healing, and in dermal diseases.