Traditional Medicinal Uses of Thyme in West and East Azerbaijan Provinces, Iran: A Species-Focused Ethnobotanical Review

Species of the genus Thymus (Lamiaceae) have a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly for respiratory and gastrointestinal complaints and various types of pain. Documenting these practices at the species level can provide a detailed understanding of local medicinal plant knowledge, including plant parts used, preparation methods, and routes of administration. This review aimed to identify and descriptively analyze the traditional medicinal uses of Thymus species reported in West and East Azerbaijan provinces, northwestern Iran. A descriptive review of ethnobotanical studies documenting the medicinal uses of Thymus species in different counties of the two provinces was conducted. Relevant publications from 1990 to May.2026 were searched in the Iranian Scientific Information Database (ISC), Scientific Information Database (SID), Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science. Data on scientific names, plant parts used, preparation methods, routes of administration, and reported therapeutic applications were extracted and summarized descriptively. The reviewed literature documented the traditional medicinal use of two species, Thymus kotschyanus and Thymus vulgaris. The plant materials used included leaves, stems, inflorescences, and flowering aerial parts. Preparation methods and routes of administration included infusion, maceration, vapor inhalation, and distillation. Reported applications covered various health complaints, including respiratory conditions such as coughs, colds, and asthma; gastrointestinal disorders; different types of pain; urinary complaints; and blood pressure-related conditions. These findings highlight the diversity of traditional medicinal practices involving Thymus species in West and East Azerbaijan provinces and provide a basis for further ethnobotanical research, accurate botanical identification, and targeted phytochemical and pharmacological investigations. However, documentation of traditional use does not establish therapeutic efficacy or safety. Therefore, these applications should be interpreted cautiously and evaluated against available experimental and clinical evidence.