HPLC Method for Determination of Thymol and Carvacrol in Thyme Tincture

Abstract

Genus Thymus contains about 300-400 species, many of which are used in traditional medicine, with Thymus vulgaris (thyme) being the most commonly used. In official medicine, thyme is used as a general medicine for colds, flu, fever, coughing and bronchitis, and has antiseptic, spasmolytic, antifungicide, and antibacterial properties among others. The pharmacological effects of thyme are most closely related to its polyphenolic components, thymol and carvacrol. By analyzing Thymi tincturae, the concentration of thymol was found to be 0.807 mg/g of tincture, while the concentration of carvacrol was 0.082 mg/g tincture. The developed method enables fast, reliable and economical analysis suitable for quality control of finished and semi-finished products.