A systematic review on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects of Thymus vulgaris Linn.

Abstract

Thymus vulgaris Linn. is a medicinal and culinary herb from the Southern European region known for its antiinfective, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities since the Egyptian era. The reported pharmacological activities of T. vulgaris L. include antibacterial, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiviral, and anti-cancerous activities. In this review, a comprehensive approach is put forth to scrutinize and report the available data on phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and toxicology of the plant. The different extracts and essential oil obtained from the plant have been assessed and reported to treat ailments like microbial infections, inflammation, non-communicable diseases like cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV-1 and Herpes. The literature review has also indicated the use of volatile oils, phenolic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides in pharmacotherapy. Applications of these compounds including antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's, cardio, neuro and hepatoprotective, anti-osteoporosis, sedative, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, antispasmodic, antinociceptive, gastroprotective, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, antidepressant, anti-amnesia, and anti-helminthic activities have been mentioned. Further, based on research gaps, recommendations have been provided to evaluate T. vulgaris L. systematically to develop plant-based drugs, nutraceuticals, and to evaluate their clinical efficiency and safety.

The Therapeutic Potential of Ethnomedicinally Important Anatolian Thyme Species: A Phytochemical and Biological Assessment

“…Another noteworthy finding was in terms of cytotoxicity, thyme extracts could potentially be active on human cancer cell lines but not on healthy cells. This selectiveness is rather meaningful and requires further studies to understand the pathways mediating the anti-cancer effect ( Patil et al, 2021 ).…”

A Focused Insight into Thyme: Biological, Chemical, and Therapeutic Properties of an Indigenous Mediterranean Herb

“…In addition to the major health benefits well documented for thyme, along with the investigated pharmacological properties, there are several traits of this herb that need to be further examined. These include but are not limited to antidiabetic potential, dental decay inhibition, antihelminthic (antiparasitic) properties, and skin protection against ultraviolet radiation [ 136 ]. The evidence of health benefits of thyme makes it tempting to further investigate its toxicological, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and industrial properties especially in the food industry, as well as its interactions with diet, and realizing pharmacologic studies at the genomic and proteomic levels.…”

“…The current status of knowledge regarding thyme depicts a wide plethora of nutritional and therapeutic benefits and provides powerful recommendations for future research directions. With many previous valuable papers reviewing this WEP [ 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 ], and many yet expected to come, research on thyme remains ongoing with positive anticipation. The widespread use of thymol and thyme essential oil in the food and healthcare industry is quite favorable, but further research and analyses are needed.…”

Anti-Coronavirus Efficiency and Redox-Modulating Capacity of Polyphenol-Rich Extracts from Traditional Bulgarian Medicinal Plants

“…For example, medicinal plants such as O. basilici , A. sativumi , T. vulgaris , R. canina , A. officinalis and others act in a similar way [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. There is evidence that A. officinalis is used purposefully when coughing, A. annua is used in “fever” conditions, and in various forms of inflammation A. hippocastani , A. officinalis , H. perforati , M. chamomillae , O. basilicum , P. lanceolata , P. reptans , R. caninae , T. vulgaris and others are recommended [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”