HerbalGram 80 • November 2008 – January HerbalGram 80 • November 2009 Rhodiola for Anxiety • Herbs for Glaucoma Prevention • HerbalGram Celebrates 25 Years • Natural Doctors International The Journal of the American Botanical Council Number 80 | November 2008 – January 2009 Rhodiola for Anxiety • Herbs for Glaucoma Prevention • Prevention AnxietyGlaucoma Rhodiola • Herbs for HerbalGram Celebrates 25 Years • Natural Doctors • Natural International Years 25 Celebrates Thyme US/CAN $6.95 www.herbalgram.org www.herbalgram.org www.herbalgram.org Herb Pharm’s certified organic farm in southern Oregon STILL GREEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Social & Environmental Responsibility at Herb Pharm Since establishing our business in 1979 Herb Pharm has played an important role in our local home community, in the herbal and natural foods industry, and in the environmental health of our planet. In so doing, Herb Pharm’s founders and employees have taken various leadership positions in these communities, and in local and national environmental organizations. One example of this is our 85-acre, certified organic farm which researches the cultivation of endangered wild medicinal plants, and is recognized by United Plant Savers as a Botanical Sanctuary. Our farm has also received Salmon Safe certification through our con- You’ll find Herb Pharm servation of its streams and creek. Also, we greatly reduce our carbon footprint through the Blue Sky Program by purchasing 100% of our at fine natural products electricity from off-site wind generators. stores or online at We are very proud of our social and environmental work and its www.herb-pharm.com recognition by Natural Products Expo’s 2006 Socially Responsible Business Award, and by the American Herbal Products Association’s 2008 Herbal Industry Leader Award. After three decades in business, we continually endeavor to be a worthy example of how a small business can not only have a positive effect on the well-being of its customers, but also on society and the planet as a whole. Full Spectrum Herbal Extracts, Made With Environmental Responsibility Herb Profile Thyme Thymus vulgaris Family: Lamiaceae INTRODUCTION Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a perennial subshrub with small gray Externally, the whole plant and the oil distilled from it have been 1,2 or green leaves that grows up to 12 inches in height. It produces used to treat fungal infections, minor arthritis, gum disease, and white, pink, or light purple flowers from late spring through tonsillitis.1 summer. Native to the Mediterranean region, thyme is commer- Thyme herb (i.e., oral: tea infusion or fluidextract; topical: tea cially cultivated in the European countries of Austria, the Balkans, infusion for compresses) was approved by the German Commis- England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portu- sion E in 1984 for symptoms of bronchitis and whooping cough 3,4,5 gal, and Spain, as well as Morocco and the United States. A and for mucous-producing inflammations (catarrhs) of the upper significant amount of thyme herb is also wild collected in Euro- respiratory tracts.13 In 2007, the European Medicines Evaluation pean countries, including Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Agency (EMEA) published a final thyme monograph, which will 6 Bulgaria, of which some is now wild harvested under organic be relevant for medicinal herbal product registrations in all EU-27 7 certification. Spanish thyme (T. zygis), native to the Iberian Member States including Germany. EMEA approved thyme Peninsula, is used interchangeably with T. vulgaris for medicinal herb (i.e., dry extract, fluidextract, tea and tincture) as a tradi- 8 purposes. tional herbal medicinal product (THMP) used as an expectorant HISTORY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE in cough associated with cold.14 Also, in 2008, Health Canada There are several theories about the origins of the name for published its final monograph for thyme natural health product the genus. Thymus may derive from the Greek word thyo mean- (NHP) compendial license applications. Health Canada approved ing “perfume” or the Greek thumus, signifying courage and traditional uses of thyme for gargle and/or buccal (pertaining to strength.8,9 In ancient Greece the phrase “to smell of thyme” was the mouth or cheek) use to help relieve laryngitis, tonsillitis, and used to praise those with admirable style. In medieval times thyme mucous membrane inflammations of the mouth and/or throat; was believed to instill bravery. Ladies would adorn their knights topical use as an antiseptic and/or antimicrobial to help treat minor with a scarf sporting an embroidered bee hovering over a twig of wounds and sores; and oral use as an expectorant to help relieve thyme. The ancient Romans were some of the first to use thyme in the symptoms of bronchitis and catarrhs of the upper respiratory cooking, using it to give flavor to cheeses and liqueurs.2 tract, to help relieve coughs, and to help relieve flatulent dyspep- 15 The fresh or dried herb of thyme and the essential oil produced sia and colic. Thyme has also been used to treat pertussis (an by the steam distillation of the fresh flowering aerial parts are both acute, highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, usually employed for their therapeutic properties.1,2 European pharmaco- in children), stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucosa), and 4,16 peial-quality thyme is the whole leaves and flowers separated from halitosis. the previously dried stems of T. vulgaris or T. MODERN RESEARCH zygis or a mixture of both species, containing Fluid extracts of thyme in combination with at least 12 ml/kg essential oil, of which at other herbs have been found to be effective in least 40% must be the sum of thymol and treating bronchitis.17,18,19 In a double-blind, 10 carvacrol. Thyme, used in its crude herb placebo-controlled trial, treatment of acute form, particularly in warm infusions (teas), bronchitis with a syrup composed of thyme relieves intestinal gas, expels intestinal para- herb fluidextract (1:2–2.5) and English ivy leaf sites, relieves cough, and it is expectorant, (Hedera helix, Araliaceae) fluidextract (1:1) 8 antimicrobial, and astringent. Tradition- (Bronchipret® Saft; Bionorica AG, Neumarkt, ally, thyme has been used to treat heartburn, Germany) was found to be safe, well toler- gastritis, asthma, laryngitis, pertussis, and ated, and superior to placebo in efficacy.18 bronchitis, as well as to stimulate menstrual Treatment with a cough syrup composed of flow and to aid in resolving occasional child- dry ivy leaf extract, decoction of thyme and 1,8,11 hood diarrhea and bedwetting. aniseed (Pimpinella anisum, Apiaceae), and Red and white thyme essential oil are mucilage of marshmallow (Althaea officinalis, produced commercially from T. vulgaris Malvaceae) root (manufactured by Weleda or T. zygis for use in cough drops, mouth- Hustenelixier, Weleda AG, Arlesheim, Swit- washes, liniments, toothpastes, detergents, zerland) alleviated cough caused by common 3 and perfumes. Red thyme oil is preferred cold, bronchitis, or respiratory tract diseases as white thyme oil is distilled from the red. with formation of mucous.20 Thyme oil and The two main ingredients in thyme oil are its constituent, thymol, have been studied for thymol and carvacrol, but thymol is believed their antimicrobial properties. Two recent to be responsible for most of the therapeu- in vitro studies and one human clinical 3,12 tic aspects. Internally, thyme oil is used trial show that thyme oil and extracts (both 1,2,8 for cough, bronchitis, and indigestion. acetone and water), as well as the constituent Thyme Thymus vulgaris ©2008 Stevenfoster.com Continues on page 2 www.herbalgram.org 2008 HerbalGram 80 | 3 THYME Continued from page 1 thymol, may be effective against a variety of bacteria.21,22,23 Thymol 13. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins is one of 4 active ingredients in the popular antimicrobial Listerine® CW, Rister RS, eds. Klein S, Rister RS, trans. The Complete German mouthwash (Johnson and Johnson, a division of McNeil-PPC, Inc, Commission E Monographs—Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. New Jersey),* but it has not been adequately studied as a single active Austin, TX: American Botanical Council; Boston: Integrative Medicine 24 Communications; 1998. ingredient in mouthwashes. The US Food and Drug Adminis- 14. European Medicines Agency (EMEA) Committee on Herbal Medicinal tration (FDA) permits the combination (thymol with eucalyptol, Products (HMPC). Final Community Herbal Monograph on Thymus menthol and methyl salicylate) in Listerine as an antigingivitis/anti- vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L., Herba. London, UK: EMEA. October plaque active ingredient for use in over-the-counter (OTC) drug 31, 2007. Available at: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/hmpc/ products.25 Of interesting note, thyme oil has been studied in combi- thymi_herba/23411306enfin.pdf. nation with oils of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae), 15. Health Canada Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD). Thyme. lavender (Lavandula spp., Lamiaceae), and cedarwood (Cedrus atlan- In: NHPD Compendium of Monographs. Ottawa, Ontario: Natural tica, Pinaceae) as rubbing oils for stimulating hair growth.26 Health Products Directorate. February 12, 2008. Available at: http:// www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/prodnatur/ mono_thyme-eng.pdf. FUTURE OUTLOOK 16. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy. ESCOP Monographs. 2nd ed. New York: Thieme New York; 2003. Thyme has a small market worldwide. The demand is increas- 17. Gruenwald J, Graubaum HJ, Busch R. Evaluation of the non-inferior- ing modestly with the growth of the human population and will ity of a fixed combination of thyme fluid- and primrose root extract in continue with the broadening research of its pharmacological proper- comparison to a fixed combination of thyme fluid extract and primrose ties.27 Spain is by far the largest producer of thyme oil as it refines 35 root tincture in patients with acute bronchitis. A single-blind, random- to 45 tons yearly, with one to three tons being T.