Although proven effective only for bronchitis and cough, Wild Thyme has been used for a variety of other disorders. In folk medicine, it's taken to stimulate digestion, relieve intestinal gas, loosen phlegm, and treat kidney and bladder disorders. As a bath additive or liniment, it's used for rheumatism and sprains.
Homeopathic practitioners prescribe it for asthma and whooping cough.
And in Asian medicine, it serves as a remedy for diarrhea, itching, toothache, and vomiting. Nevertheless, in the 17th century, the botanist Culpeper recommended it for nightmares and headaches. Its use for uterine disorders is probably responsible for the name, Mother of Thyme. Scientific investigation has shown that Wild Thyme kills bacteria, stops spasms of the internal organs, and stimulates secretions. It grows throughout the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, and is cultivated in Albania, Hungary, and the former Yugoslavia.