Studies have shown that thyme essential oil kills lung, ovarian and breast cancer cells.
Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris) contains 20-54% thymol. Thymol belongs to a natural class of compounds known as biocides, substances that are able to destroy harmful organisms.
When thyme oil is used in combination with other biocidal products such as carvacrol, its antimicrobial properties are greatly increased.
Thyme is native to the Mediterranean area and was originally used in Greece. Today, olive oil flavored with thyme is still used in cooking all over Greece.
Thyme oil has been found to kill up to 97% of lung cancer cells. Recent research has shown that mixing thyme and olive oil will increase the availability of hydroxytyrosol, the most potent anti-cancer compound in olive oil. This may be the reason why Greeks have about half the cancer rate compared to residents of the US and the rest of Europe.
Thyme essential oil is used in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine because of its strong antioxidant effect, as well as its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal (candida elimination) properties.
Researchers at Turkey’s Celal Bayar University conducted a study to find out what effect Thymus serpyllum, another type of thyme may have on breast cancer cells, and they reported in the journal Nutrition and Cancer that administering thyme caused the death of breast cancer cells.
The authors of the study concluded that thyme may be a promising candidate in the development of new therapeutic drugs for the treatment of breast cancer.
Administration of thyme essential oil
– internal use: take 1-3 drops (depending on the case) of thyme essential oil 3 times a day, mixed with a little honey, on an empty stomach, 15 minutes before main meals. Essential oils should not be diluted in water or tea.
– external use: massage, rubbing (2 – 3 drops to 10 ml of base oil), inhalation, aromatherapy