Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

1- Scientific Name

Thymus vulgaris – English Name: Thyme

2- Family

Mint family: Lamiaceae

3- Botanical Description

An evergreen perennial shrub, highly branched, with an erect, woody stem reaching a height of 20–40 cm. The leaves are small, linear or elliptical, sharply pointed at the tip, grayish-green in color, bearing a large number of glands that secrete essential oil, 4–12 mm long and about 3 mm wide, hairy on the lower surface with gray down. The flowers gather in dense terminal head-like inflorescences, purple or blue in color. The fruit is ovoid or oblong, small in size.

4- Part Used

The flowering aerial parts.

5- Active Compounds

The flowering aerial parts contain a volatile essential oil ranging between 2–2.5%, rich in phenolic compounds that reach up to 70%, the most important being Thymol, Carvacrol, and Linalool, in addition to flavonoid compounds, tannins, Caffeic acid, and Rosmarinic acid.

6- Medicinal Importance

Thyme oil is used in pharmaceutical or food industries through formulation of products that work to:

• Cleanse and treat wounds, acne, and eczema in the form of ointments.
• Open skin pores and remove accumulated oily secretions as a refreshing and moisturizing agent, in the form of masks or sprays.
• Relieve toothache and act as a mouth freshener and disinfectant, which is why it is used in toothpaste and mouth antiseptic manufacturing due to the role of the thymol compound.
• Treat bronchitis and respiratory tract infections.

7- Acceptance Card

No.	Property	Specification
1	Color	Grayish green
2	Texture	Fresh or dry
3	Odor	Strong pleasant aromatic
4	Fungal & Insect Infestation	Indicator: No unpleasant odors, foreign colors, or flying insects of any kind Limits: Infestation by field or storage insects (larvae, adult insects) not to exceed 1%
5	% Impurities	Not to exceed 3%
6	% Volatile Oil	Not less than 2% Note: oil quality and economic feasibility should be considered if the percentage falls below this

8- General Notes

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