Thyme

In Crete island, the genus Thymus is mainly represented by T. capitatus (syn. Thymbra capitata Cav., Corydothymus capitatus L. Rchb.f.), a perennial, herbaceous shrub, growing at different altitude, from 0 to 1000 m above sea level, in the arid and rocky areas.
The plants of genus Thymus are widely used in food flavouring and culinary preparations, as well as in perfumery, folk medicine and in pharmacological sector as spasmolytic, antiseptic and expectorant (Rasooli & Mimostarfa, 2002)

In traditional medicine, infusions, leaves, and flowers decoctions of the genus Thymus species were used as tonic, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antitussive and carminative agents.

Some species of this genus are used as medicinal plants for treating ulcer, dermatitis and some types of rheumatic pains.
It has a high phenols content of predominantly mainly carvacrol, which are primarily responsible for antiseptic activity, as well as p-cymene, gamma terpinene, linalool, betamyrcene.

Carvacrol/thymol is also largely due to the antioxidant properties of the thyme.
The following data (Table 2) refer to the most common uses of these preparations according to the ethnographic and ethnopharmacological studies.