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Thymus vulgaris / Thymus serpyllum / Thymus zygis
Red thyme, Common thyme
Thymol and/or carvacrol together up to 70 percent. Phenol strongly irritates skin and mucous membranes.
May inhibit platelet aggregation. Oral caution with anticoagulants, after surgery.
Oral caution: antidiabetic drugs.
Low dermal concentration recommended. Avoid eyes and mucous membranes.
In rat studies, carvacrol-rich oil (Satureja khuzestanica) at 100 mg/kg/day for 21 days reduced blood glucose. Carvacrol and thymol have very strong antibacterial activity.
This is the most common commercial chemotype, called 'red thyme' from the reddish-brown color.
Not recommended in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of specific data.
| Thymol (thymol CT) | 48.3 – 62.5 % |
| Carvacrol (carvacrol CT) | 30.0 – 65.0 % |
| Thymol + Carvacrol combined | 50.0 – 75.0 % |
| p-Cymene | 10.0 – 28.0 % |
| γ-Terpinene | 3.0 – 18.0 % |
| Linalool | 1.0 – 8.0 % |
| β-Caryophyllene | 1.0 – 6.0 % |
| α-Pinene | 0.5 – 4.0 % |
| Borneol | 0.5 – 4.0 % |
Thymus vulgaris (common thyme), Thymus serpyllum (wild thyme), and Thymus zygis (Spanish thyme). All three species yield similar phenol-rich oils.
Main production: Spain, France (Provence), Morocco, Italy, Germany.
Thyme is one of the classical Mediterranean herbs. Dried leaves are used for grilled meats, soups, and sauces. In Egyptian mummification tradition, thyme was an ingredient.
In European traditional medicine, thyme tincture was used for sore throat, respiratory issues, and oral hygiene. Listerine once had thymol as a main ingredient.
Family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), same family as oregano, marjoram, rosemary, and lavender.
Chemotype is determined by growing conditions, chemotype can shift through some generations naturally.
Verify chemotype by GC-MS, generic 'thyme oil' is not enough. The chemotype is needed for correct safety.
Thymol CT is the most common chemotype, commercial 'red thyme'. Carvacrol CT is similar to oregano in chemistry.
Antibacterial activity of thymol and carvacrol is comparable, among the strongest in common essential oils.
Extremely strong antibacterial activity, effective against S. aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus, E. coli, Candida. Carvacrol and thymol are benchmarks in essential oil antibacterial research.
In cosmetics, thymol CT is used at low concentrations in acne products, antifungal nail creams, and mouth wash. Excessive levels cause severe irritation.
In medicine, thymol is still used as a preservative in vaccines and toothpaste. Carvacrol is being studied for S. aureus biofilms.
For the Lê Mai brand, thymol CT is suited to wash-off products (soap, shampoo) at low concentrations. Not recommended in high-concentration leave-on products.