Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

Satureja thymbra, commonly called thyme-sage or mountain savory, is part of wild herbal “tea” traditions in the eastern Mediterranean. Among the Ionian Islands in Greece, infusions and decoctions of the aerial parts are taken for coughs, colds, and digestive complaints (Ghirardini et al., 2011). On Crete, a gentle tea of the flowers and leaves is drunk to soothe throat and chest irritation and to ease stomach upsets (Vallianou, 2018). In North Morocco, people also prepare a tea from the leaves and flowering tops for stomach pain and indigestion (Bnouham et al., 2008).

A simple mild infusion recipe: place 1–2 teaspoons of dried aerial parts in a cup and pour 250 mL of just-boiled water. Cover and steep for 5–10 minutes, strain, and drink 1 cup 2–3 times daily. A traditional decoction is made by simmering the same amount in 250 mL of water for 10–15 minutes, straining, and drinking warm 1–2 times daily. Not suitable for people allergic to Lamiaceae or pregnant individuals; use with caution in individuals with reflux or ulcers due to the aromatic phenols. The aroma comes primarily from essential oils rich in thymol and carvacrol, with p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and α-terpinene as important co-constituents; rosmarinic acid and flavonoids such as luteolin and apigenin are also present in aerial parts.

Modern interest remains strong: the essential oil and extracts show antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, while herbal teas and supplements continue to be sold, and the infusion remains a household remedy in Greece, Crete, and northern Morocco.

General Uses Top

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Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
The herb (fresh or dried leaves and flowering tops) is used as a spice, condiment, and flavoring in culinary applications, notably in Greek and eastern Mediterranean cookery; its aromatic profile derives from essential oils high in carvacrol and thymol, with variability across populations and seasons. The EO is employed as a flavoring and fragrance ingredient in alcoholic beverages such as herbal liqueurs and bitters; preparations may be marketed as distilled flavorings or “bitter” products that contribute aromatic intensity without therapeutic claims. As a food ingredient, the herb and its EO are subject to regulatory limits typical for flavoring substances and may be processed through drying, grinding, or solvent-based extraction.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
Satureja thymbra essential oil is used as a fragrance component in perfumes, soaps, detergents, and other cosmetics, at typical levels to confer herbaceous, phenolic notes. Regulatory restrictions on flavoring and fragrance use generally apply; IFRA standards and EU flavoring regulations provide guidance on safe concentrations and purity, especially for components such as carvacrol and thymol.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Micromeria thymbra	Kostel.	Allg. Med.-Pharm. Fl. 3: 763 (1834)
Satureja biroi	Javorka	Magyar Bot. Lapok 21: 25 (1922 publ. 1923)
Satureja collina	Salisb.	Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 77 (1796)
Satureja hispida	Ehrh.	Beitr. Naturk. 7: 147 (1792)
Satureja tragoriganum	Tausch	Syll. Pl. Nov. 2: 248 (1828)
Thymbra hirsuta	Pers.	Syn. Pl. 2: 114 (1806)
Thymbra hirsutissima	Vent. ex Pers.	Syn. Pl. 2: 114 (1806)
Thymus hirsutissimus	Poir.	Encycl. 7: 650 (1806)
Thymus tragoriganum	L.	Mant. Pl. 1: 84 (1767)
Clinopodium thymbra	Kuntze	Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 516 (1891)
Satureja thymbra var. calvescens	Pamp.	Agric. Colon. 15: 375 (1921)

Common names Top

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Filter by language:

Language	Common/alternative name
English	persian zatar
English	pink savory
English	water savory
English	roman hyssop
English	savory of crete
English	whorled savory
Arabic	ندغ زعتري
Arabic	صعتر
Arabic	شاطرية
Arabic	زعتر رومي
Hebrew	סיאה
Hebrew	צתרה ורודה
Dutch	tijmbonenkruid
Turkish	girit sateri

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:

- Doubtful data

- Extinct

- Introduced

- Native

Africa click to expand
- Northern Africa
  - Libya

Asia-temperate click to expand
- Western Asia
  - Cyprus
  - East Aegean Islands
  - Lebanon-Syria
  - Palestine
  - Turkey

Europe click to expand
- Southeastern Europe
  - Greece
  - Kriti
  - Turkey-in-Europe
- Southwestern Europe
  - Sardegna

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!

Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000304557
Tropicos	17603751
INPN	611576
Flora of Italy	4565
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:457833-1
The Plant List	kew-185996
Open Tree Of Life	382234
Observations.org	147698
NCBI Taxonomy	49989
IPNI	457833-1
iNaturalist	508833
GBIF	3902859
EPPO	STITH
Elurikkus	436976
Wikipedia	Satureja_thymbra

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.

Title

Authors

Publication

Released

IDs

Encapsulation of Black Rice Bran Extract in a Stable Nanoemulsion: Effects of Thermal Treatment, Storage Conditions, and In Vitro Digestion

Saleh MN, Salam MA, Capanoglu E

ACS Omega

08-Mar-2024

PMCID:	PMC10955592
doi:	10.1021/acsomega.3c07060
PMID:	38524420

A Nano-Based Approach to Deliver Satureja thymbra Essential Oil to the Skin: Formulation and Characterization

Pani S, Caddeo C, Sanna C, Pintus F, Floris S, Pons R, Dupont A, Tuberoso CI

Molecules

28-Feb-2024

PMCID:	PMC10933724
doi:	10.3390/molecules29051041
PMID:	38474551

Treating COVID-19 with Medicinal Plants: Is It Even Conceivable? A Comprehensive Review

Al-Jamal H, Idriss S, Roufayel R, Abi Khattar Z, Fajloun Z, Sabatier JM

Viruses

20-Feb-2024

PMCID:	PMC10974729
doi:	10.3390/v16030320
PMID:	38543686

The Valorisation of Melissa officinalis Distillation By-Products for the Production of Polyphenol-Rich Formulations

Stini E, Tsimogiannis D, Oreopoulou V

Molecules

11-Jan-2024

PMCID:	PMC10819686
doi:	10.3390/molecules29020377
PMID:	38257290

Elevation determines the productivity of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) cultivars in Sikkim Himalaya

Lepcha P, Gaira KS, Pandey A, Chettri SK, Lepcha J, Lepcha J, Joshi R, Chettri N

Sci Rep

07-Dec-2023

PMCID:	PMC10709556
doi:	10.1038/s41598-023-47847-6
PMID:	38066028

Occurrence of Luteolin in the Greek Flora, Isolation of Luteolin and Its Action for the Treatment of Periodontal Diseases

Arampatzis AS, Pampori A, Droutsa E, Laskari M, Karakostas P, Tsalikis L, Barmpalexis P, Dordas C, Assimopoulou AN

Molecules

22-Nov-2023

PMCID:	PMC10707704
doi:	10.3390/molecules28237720
PMID:	38067450

Current and Potential Applications of Monoterpenes and Their Derivatives in Oral Health Care

Potocka W, Assy Z, Bikker FJ, Laine ML

Molecules

19-Oct-2023

PMCID:	PMC10609285
doi:	10.3390/molecules28207178
PMID:	37894657

Enhanced Natural Strength: Lamiaceae Essential Oils and Nanotechnology in In Vitro and In Vivo Medical Research

Kowalczyk T, Merecz-Sadowska A, Ghorbanpour M, Szemraj J, Piekarski J, Bijak M, Śliwiński T, Zajdel R, Sitarek P

Int J Mol Sci

17-Oct-2023

PMCID:	PMC10607815
doi:	10.3390/ijms242015279
PMID:	37894959

Climate Change Dependence in Ex Situ Conservation of Wild Medicinal Plants in Crete, Greece

Bariotakis M, Georgescu L, Laina D, Koufaki M, Souma M, Douklias S, Giannakakis KA, Chouli KN, Paoli L, Loppi S, Karousou R, Smykal P, Castanas E, Pirintsos SA

Biology (Basel)

11-Oct-2023

PMCID:	PMC10604457
doi:	10.3390/biology12101327
PMID:	37887037

Growth inhibitory, immunosuppressive, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects of γ-terpinene on Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Diksha, Singh S, Mahajan E, Sohal SK

Sci Rep

30-Sep-2023

PMCID:	PMC10542352
doi:	10.1038/s41598-023-43499-8
PMID:	37777624

A comprehensive review of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.): promising ingredient for production of functional foods

Ejaz A, Waliat S, Arshad MS, Khalid W, Khalid MZ, Rasul Suleria HA, Luca MI, Mironeasa C, Batariuc A, Ungureanu-Iuga M, Coţovanu I, Mironeasa S

Front Pharmacol

24-Jul-2023

PMCID:	PMC10406440
doi:	10.3389/fphar.2023.1198970
PMID:	37554989

Bitter Is Better: Wild Greens Used in the Blue Zone of Ikaria, Greece

Pieroni A, Morini G, Piochi M, Sulaiman N, Kalle R, Haq SM, Devecchi A, Franceschini C, Zocchi DM, Migliavada R, Prakofjewa J, Sartori M, Krigas N, Ahmad M, Torri L, Sõukand R

Nutrients

21-Jul-2023

PMCID:	PMC10385191
doi:	10.3390/nu15143242
PMID:	37513661

Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations of Thymol and Carvacrol: Toward a Unified Statistical Approach to Find Common Trends

Speranza B, Bevilacqua A, Campaniello D, Altieri C, Corbo MR, Sinigaglia M

Microorganisms

07-Jul-2023

PMCID:	PMC10384971
doi:	10.3390/microorganisms11071774
PMID:	37512946

Potential of Essential Oils in the Control of Listeria monocytogenes

Schneider G, Steinbach A, Putics Á, Solti-Hodován Á, Palkovics T

Microorganisms

23-May-2023

PMCID:	PMC10301788
doi:	10.3390/microorganisms11061364
PMID:	37374865

Quality-by-Design-Assisted Optimization of Carvacrol Oil-Loaded Niosomal Gel for Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy by Topical Route

Ghazwani M, Hani U, Alam A, Alqarni MH

Gels

10-May-2023

PMCID:	PMC10217970
doi:	10.3390/gels9050401
PMID:	37232993

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.

Name	PubChem ID	Canonical SMILES	MW	Found in	Proof
> Hydrocarbons / Unsaturated hydrocarbons / Branched unsaturated hydrocarbons
Gamma-Terpinene	7461	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969862
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids
Geraniol	637566	Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
Linalool	6549	Click to see	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
Linalyl Acetate	8294	Click to see	196.29	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1992.9698138 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
Myrcene	31253	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Nerol	643820	Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Aromatic monoterpenoids
Carvacrol	10364	Click to see CC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C(C)C)O	150.22	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2005.09.020 https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1992.9698138 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
P-Cymene	7463	Click to see	134.22	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2005.09.020 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Thymol	6989	Click to see	150.22	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1992.9698138 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids
(+-)-alpha-Pinene	6654	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
(+-)-Fenchone	14525	Click to see	152.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
Beta-Pinene	14896	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Borneol	64685	Click to see	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969862 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Camphene	6616	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3 https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1992.9698138 https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
CID 44630107	44630107	Click to see CC1(C2CCC1(C(C2)O)C)C	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969862 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1992.9698138
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids
4-Terpineol, (+/-)-	11230	Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)(C(C)C)O	154.25	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969862
Alpha-Terpinene	7462	Click to see	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Limonene, (+/-)-	22311	Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)C(=C)C	136.23	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/JF970110Y https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids
beta-Cadinene	10657	Click to see	204.35	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665
Caryophyllene	5281515	Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C	204.35	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)82096-3
Caryophyllene,alpha + beta mixt.	5354499	Click to see	204.35	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969862 https://doi.org/10.3109/13880208409070665

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Satureja thymbra

Table of Contents

Details Top

Ethnobotanical Use Top

General Uses Top

Synonyms Top

Common names Top

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Germination/Propagation Top

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Links to other databases Top

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

Scientific Literature Top

Phytochemical Profile Top

Gallery Top

Contributors Top

Collections Top