Wild Thyme - Thymus serpyllum

Wild thyme, Thymus serpyllum, creeping thyme, is a creeping dwarf evergreen that flowers in summer. It is native to Europe and North Africa. It tends to grow in sunny, dry, waste areas like roadsides and sandy fields. 

The secondary metabolites are flavonoids and phenolic acids. It has traditionally been used for respiratory, urinary, and gastrointestinal problems. It is antiseptic, antioxidative, expectorant, antispasmodic1 , cardiac carminative, diuretic, antirheumatic, and anticancerogenic.  

Wild thyme extracts exerted antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica, as well as Lactic acid bacteria. Wild thyme essential oil has shown antibacterial potential against E. coli, L. monocytogenes, P. aeruginosa, S. enteritidis, S. aureus, Streptococcus salivariu, S. mutans S. sanguinis, S. pyogenes, E. feacalis, B. cereus, B. subtilis, B. pumilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella choleraesuis, and Salmonella poona. T. serpyllum extract possesses antifungal activity against Fusarium solani, F. moniliforme, Aspergillus flavus, Microsporum canis, Alternaria species, Candida albicans, and C. glabarata. The essential oil efficiently inhibited the growth of C. albicans, C. glabrata and Aspergillus fungi. 2


1 Influence of lyophilized Thymus serpyllum L. extracts on the gastrointestinal system: Spasmolytic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, Aleksandra A. Jovanović a, Predrag M. Petrović a, Gordana M. Zdunić b, Katarina P. Šavikin b, Dušanka Kitić c, Verica B. Đorđević a, Branko M. Bugarski a, Suzana Branković c, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, Belgrade 11000, Serbiab, Institute for Medicinal Plants Research “Dr Josif Pančić”, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, Belgrade 11000, Serbiac Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar dr Zorana Đinđića 8, Niš 18000, Serbia, Received 22 February 2021, Revised 7 May 2021, Accepted 21 June 2021, Available online 19 July 2021, Version of Record 19 July 2021.
2 A. Jovanović, A., Balanč, B., Petrović, P., Pravilović, R., & Djordjević, V. (2021). Pharmacological potential of Thymus serpyllum L. (wild thyme) extracts and essential oil: A review. Journal of Engineering &Amp; Processing Management, 13(2), 32–41. https://doi.org/10.7251/JEPM2102032J