History
The Ancient Egyptians used thymol and carvacrol in the form of a preparation from the thyme plant (a member of the mint family), because of their ability to preserve mummies. Thymol and carvacrol are now known to kill bacteria and fungi, having made thyme well suited for such purposes.
The crystalline substance thymol was discovered by Caspar Neumann in 1719 and synthesized in pure form in the year 1842 by von M. Lallemand characterized through elementary chemical analysis. Using this, he was able to discover the correct ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that make up thymol molecules. Friedrich Ferdinand Runge also studied the chemistry of this substance. Alain Thozet and M. Perrin first published the crystal structure analysis with the exact determination of the structural atoms.
Uses
Thymol has been used to successfully control varroa mites and prevent fermentation and the growth of mould in bee colonies.. A minor use is in bookbinding: before rebinding, books with mold damage can be sealed in bags with thymol crystals to kill fungal spores. Thymol has been used in alcohol solutions and in dusting powders for the treatment of tinea (ringworm) infections. Thymol was used to treat hookworm infections in the US. It is also used as a preservative in halothane, an anaesthetic, and as an antiseptic in mouthwash. It is the active antiseptic ingredient in the toothpaste Euthymol.
The Bee Balms (Monarda fistulosa and Monarda didyma) are natural sources of thymol, a primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwash formulas. The Blackfeet Native Americans recognized this plant's strong antiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis.
Recent medical research on rats concludes that "Thyme extract had relaxing effects on organs possessing 2-receptors (uterus and trachea)."
In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette companies, thymol was listed as one of 599 additives to cigarettes. It is said to be added to improve the flavor of cigarettes, but as mentioned above, it relaxes the trachea.
There is also evidence supporting the belief that thymol when applied two to three times daily, can eliminate certain kinds of fungal infections that affect finger nails and toe nails in humans.[citation needed] Regular application to the affected nail over periods approximating three months has been shown to eliminate the affliction by effectively preventing further progress;[citation needed] by simply cutting the nail as one normally would, all infected material is eventually eliminated.
Biological activity
Thymol has GABAergic activity, via a mechanism of action similar to the anaesthetic propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol). Thymol is neither a controlled substance nor a controlled substance analogue in the US and the UK.
List of plants that contain the chemical
Thymus hyemalis [clarification needed]
Thymus vulgaris ,
Thymus zygis [clarification needed]
Toxicology
This section requires expansion.
Thymol is dangerous to the environment and toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause long term adverse effects in the aquatic environment. It is also being investigated as a mutagen.[citation needed] The theory of its mutagenic effect is further supported by the performance of the related phenol.[which?]
Compendial status
British Pharmacopoeia
Japanese Pharmacopoeia 15[citation needed]
See also
Methyl thymol
GABA
Depressants
Monoterpenes
Antiseptic
Vaporizer
Notes and references
^ Webster's 1913 dictionary)
^ Almond farmers seek healthy bees
^ The Rural School and Hookworm Disease. Jno A Ferrell, 1914 http://books.google.com/books?id=omYAAAAAYAAJ&dq=THE+RURAL+SCHOOL+AND+hookworm+disease&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=MzB2Qc83MN&sig=XuzEewv27ty90cJ3IxS8fhyh0A4&hl=en&ei=KHKUSsOVKY_QsQOmnNnZBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=true
^ Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1
^ Wienktter, N.; F. Begrow, U. Kinzinger, D. Schierstedt, E.J. Verspohl (2007). "The Effect of Thyme Extract on 2-Receptors and Mucociliary Clearance". Planta Medica 73 (7): 629635. doi:10.1055/s-2007-981535.
^ List of 599 Cigarette additives
^ Priestley, Caroline M.; E. Williamson, K. Wafford, and D. Sattelle (2003). "Thymol, a constituent of thyme essential oil, is a positive allosteric modulator of human GABAA receptors and a homo-oligomeric GABA receptor from Drosophila melanogaster". British Journal of Pharmacology 140 (140): 13631372. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705542.
^ a b Goodner, K.L. et al. (2006). "Aromatic profiles of Thymus hyemalis and Spanish T. vulgaris essential oils by GCS/GC". Industrial Crops and Products 24 (3): 264268. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2006.06.006.
^ Lee, Seung-Joo et al. (2005). "Identification of volatile components in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and thyme leaves (Thymus vulgaris L.) and their antioxidant properties". Food Chemistry 91 (1): 131137. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.05.056.
^ Moldo-Martins, M. et al. (2000). "Supercritical CO2 extraction of Thymus zygis L. subsp. sylvestris aroma". The Journal of Supercritical Fluids 18 (1): 2534. doi:10.1016/S0896-8446(00)00047-4.
^ The British Pharmacopoeia Secretariat (2009). "Index, BP 2009". http://www.pharmacopoeia.co.uk/pdf/2009_index.pdf. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
External links
What is Thymol?
v d e
GABAergics
Receptor
Ligands
GABAA
Agonists: Main Site: Gaboxadol Ibotenic Acid Isoguvacine Isonipecotic Acid Muscimol (Amanita Muscaria) Piperazine Progabide SL 75102 Thiomuscimol; Positive Allosteric Modulators: Barbiturates Benzodiazepines Carbamates Chlormezanone Clomethiazole Etazolate Ethanol (Alcohol) Etomidate Kavalactones (Kava Kava) Loreclezole Neuroactive Steroids Nonbenzodiazepines Phenols Piperidinediones Propanidid Quinazolinones ROD-188 Skullcap Stiripentol Thymol Valerenic Acid (Valerian)
* See here for a full list of GABAA positive allosteric modulators.
Antagonists: Main Site: Bicuculline Gabazine; Negative Allosteric Modulators: 5IA Bilobalide Cicutoxin DMCM Flumazenil Furosemide L-655,708 Oenanthotoxin Penicillin Pentylenetetrazol Picrotoxin PWZ-029 Ro15-4513 Sarmazenil Suritozole Thujone (Absinthe)
GABAB
Agonists: Main Site: 1,4-Butanediol Baclofen GBL GHB GHV GVL Phenibut Progabide; Positive Allosteric Modulators: BHF-177 BHFF BSPP CGP-7930 GS-39783
Antagonists: Main Site: Phaclofen Saclofen SCH-50911
GABAC
Agonists: Main Site: CACA CAMP GABOB N(4)-chloroacetylcytosine arabinoside
Antagonists: Main Site: Bilobalide TPMPA
Reuptake
Inhibitors
Plasmalemmal
GAT Inhibitors
CI-966 Deramciclane EF-1502 Gabaculine Guvacine Nipecotic acid NNC 05-2090 Pipofezine SKF-89976A SNAP-5114 Tiagabine
TRPC6 Activators
Adhyperforin Hyperforin
Vesicular
VGAT Inhibitors
.....
Enzyme
Inhibitors
Anabolism
GAD Inhibitors
Allylglycine
Catabolism
GABA-T Inhibitors
3-Hydrazinopropionic Acid Aminooxyacetic Acid Gabaculine Isoniazid Phenelzine Phenylethylidenehydrazine Valnoctamide Valproic acid Valpromide Vigabatrin
Others
Precursors
Glutamate Glutamine
Cofactors
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine/Pyridoxamine/Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate)
Others
L-Theanine Picamilon Pregabalin
Categories: Antifungals Antiseptics Terpenes and terpenoids Phenols FlavorsHidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March 2008 All pages needing cleanup Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2009 Articles to be expanded from July 2009 All articles to be expanded Articles with unsourced statements from February 2010 All articles with specifically-marked weasel-worded phrases Articles with specifically-marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2010 Articles with unsourced statements from July 2009 I am China Agriculture Net writer, reports some information about safety bath mat , anti static floor mats.
Related Articles -
safety bath mat, anti static floor mats,
|
