Use of thyme in medicine
Thyme is a spice plant that has also been used as a medicinal plant for several millennia and is found in southern Europe. The parts used are essential oils and parts of the sprouts, which can be consumed as tea, for example, by pouring hot water over them. Thymain is also used as infusion or tincture.
The effect of thyme is particularly noticeable with colds due to its mucolytic and thus stimulating effect on the sputum. It also has an anti-inflammatory and growth-inhibiting effect on bacteria, viruses and fungi. An antidepressant effect has also been described. The taste of thyme is bitter and pungent.
The indication
The indications for taking thyme or essential oils extracted from thyme are manifold and result from its mode of action. In general, the symptoms of every cough can be tried to be reduced by using thyme. No matter whether the cough is dry, i.e. with a mucus that is difficult to dissolve, or moist, there is usually a higher sputum and thus an alleviation of the symptoms.
Also a bacterial cause can be treated better by the antibacterial effect. Thus, the therapy of inflammation of the throat or tonsils is also within the realm of possibility. If the thyme is absorbed into the digestive tract via the mouth, it also develops its effect here.
Due to the antibacterial and antimycotic (effect against fungi) effect, acute inflammations in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to an improvement of the symptoms. For example, the duration and intensity of diarrhea is reduced. Due to its antispasmodic effect, abdominal pain is also an indication for taking tyhmian.
The pungency of thyme means that a general cold is also an indication for thyme. In addition, by applying it to the skin, the blood circulation can be increased locally. This can be used for various superficial injuries to accelerate healing.
All in all, due to the many effects of thyme, there are many indications for an application. Thyme shows a good effect in respiratory diseases. The antispasmodic effect favors a relaxation of the muscles of the respiratory tract and the throat, which generally improves air-taking.
In addition, the mucus dissolves more easily, which improves breathing and permanently reduces coughing. The anti-inflammatory effects also have a positive effect. In general, the symptoms of every cold, but also every bacterial inflammation and other chronic diseases can be treated.
The effect of thyme oil in skin diseases is based on its antibacterial and antimycotic (against fungi) effect. This makes it more difficult for all, but especially for pathogenic germs or pathogenic fungi to settle or multiply on the skin. Various simple skin diseases such as acne or the colonization of yeast fungi can be treated.
To do this, one simply applies a tincture or oil of thyme repeatedly to the skin and leaves it on for some time. You can also take a bath containing essential oils of thyme. Warts or poorly healing wounds are also easy to treat.
