Affiliation:
1. Department of Food Science Faculty of Food Science and Technology Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
2. Institute of Chemistry University of Sargodha Sargodha 40100 Pakistan
3. Department of Food Technology Faculty of Food Science and Technology Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
4. Institute de la Nutrition, de l'Alimentation et des Technologies Agroalimetaires INATAA Universitédes Frères Mentouri Constantine 1 Route de Ain El Bey-Constantine Algeria
5. Laboratoire de Génie Agro-Alimentaire (GeniAAl) INATAA Université Frères Mentouri Constantine 1 UFC1 Route de Ain El Bey-Constantine Algeria
6. Institute of Food Sciences Department of Chemistry Warsaw University of Life Sciences Nowoursynowska 159 C PL-02-776 Warsaw Poland
Abstract
AbstractThe Thymus genus includes various medicinal and aromatic species, cultivated worldwide for their unique medicinal and economic value. Besides, their conventional use as a culinary flavoring agent, Thymus species are well‐known for their diverse biological effects, such as antioxidant, anti‐fungal, anti‐bacterial, anti‐viral, anti‐tumor, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐cancer, and anti‐hypertensive properties. Hence, they are used in the treatment of fever, colds, and digestive and cardiovascular diseases. The pharmaceutical significance of Thymus plants is due to their high levels of bioactive components such as natural terpenoid phenol derivatives (p‐cymene, carvacrol, thymol, geraniol), flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids. This review examines the phytochemicals, biological properties, functional food, and nutraceutical attributes of some important Thymus species, with a specific focus on their potential uses in the nutra‐pharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, the review provides an insight into the mechanisms of biological activities of key phytochemicals of Thymus species exploring their potential for the development of novel natural drugs.