Review of Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Study of Thymus serpyllum L.
Апстракт:
Thymus serpyllum L. (wild thyme) is a perennial shrub, native to areas
of northern and central Europe. Its aerial parts are most frequently
used in ethnomedicine (mainly for treating illnesses and problems
related to the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems), although
recently its essential oils are becoming more popular as an important
plant-derived product. The composition of these oils is affected by
geographic region, the development stage of the plant, the harvest
season, habitat, and climatic conditions. Wild thyme essential oil has
an ever-growing number of uses in contemporary medicine due to its
pharmacological properties: antioxidative, antimicrobial, and
anticancerogenic activities. The antioxidative and antimicrobial
properties of the essential oil are related to the synergistic and
cumulative effect of its components. In terms of antitumor and cytotoxic
activity, further research into the effects of essential oil is
necessary, aimed at improving its cytotoxic effects, on the basis of
which appropriate medicines can be formulated. Due to its
pharmacological properties, the essential oil of wild thyme, a plant
used in traditional medicine, represents an important natural resource
for the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, it can be a source of
natural antioxidants, nutritional supplements, or components of
functional foods in the food industry.
Извор:
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015, 101978Финансирање / пројекти:
DOI: 10.1155/2015/101978
ISSN: 1741-4288