Colon cancerĪ study carried out in Lisbon, Portugal, found that extracts of mastic thyme might protect people from colon cancers. They reported that thyme oil, even at low concentrations, showed potential as a natural preservative of food products against several common foodborne bacteria that cause human illness.Ī Polish study tested thyme oil and lavender oil, and they that observed that thyme oil was effective against resistant strains of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas bacteria. Foodborne bacterial infectionsĪ team at the Center for Studies of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Portugal, studied the antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted from a range of aromatic plants, including thyme oil. More tests are required for the data to prove significant, however. Rats respond to hypertension in a similar way to people, so the findings might have implications for humans. Researchers at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, found that an aqueous extract obtained from wild thyme reduced blood pressure in tests on rats. Louis encephalitis, dengue fever, and Chikungunya fever.Ī team at Chungbuk National University in South Korea reported that a combination of thymol, alpha-terpinene, and carvacrol was effective in killing off tiger mosquito larvae.

Since the 1990s, it has spread around the world, carrying West Nile virus, Yellow fever, St. The tiger mosquito is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. One study from 2010 suggests that thymol can reduce bacterial resistance to common drugs, including penicillin. Used alongside other biocides, such as carvacrol, thyme has strong antimicrobial properties. These are substances that can destroy harmful organisms, such as infectious bacteria.

Thymol is one of a naturally occurring class of compounds known as biocides. Share on Pinterest Thyme has a range of powerful medicinal effects.

Thyme leaves