Rodzaj Thymus L. – walory aromatyczne i lecznicze.  Przegląd wybranych gatunków

Renata Nurzyńska-Wierdak; Aleksandra Chrapek

doi:10.24326/ah.2022.2.3

Vol. 31 No. 2 (2022)

Articles

Genus Thymus L. – aromatic and medicinal values. Overview of selected species

Renata Nurzyńska-Wierdak⁺⁻
Aleksandra Chrapek⁺⁻

PDF (Język Polski)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ah.2022.2.3
Submitted: January 27, 2022
Published: 2022-09-01

Abstract

The genus Thymus L. is one of the largest and economically most important genera in the family Lamiaceae. Plants belonging to this genus are a traditional and highly valued source of medicinal and spice raw materials. The herbal raw material of these plants is aromatic herb (herba), and the most important bioactive ingredient is essential oil (oleum aetherium). The active ingredients of the raw material also include: phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, vitamins and minerals. Thyme herb extracts and thyme oils show broad biological activity. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, antiviral and antibacterial properties, and improve the work of the digestive system. The expectorant effect is associated with the presence of carvacrol, thymol and geraniol, and the bactericidal and virucidal properties are enhanced by the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The paper reviews the aromatic, medicinal and spice properties of selected four species of the genus Thymus: T. vulgaris L., T. pulegioides L., T. serpyllum L. and T. citriodorus S., and presents the latest research justifying their traditional applications and potential therapeutic values.

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