Latin, Thymol (Gen., Thymolis)

Eng., Thymol. A phenol occurring in the volatile oil of thyme and in some other volatile oils.

Form

Large, colorless prisms.

Odor And Taste

An aromatic, thyme-like odor and a pungent, aromatic taste, with a very slight caustic effect upon the lips.

Solubility

In about 1010 parts of water. Soluble in alcohol, oils, etc.

Incompatibles

Should not be triturated with acetanilid, anti-pyrine, camphor, monobromated camphor, hydrated chloral, menthol, phenol, phenyl salicylate, quinine sulphate or prescribed with spirit of nitrous ether or gold salts.

Average Dose

Antiseptic, 2 grains (0.125 Gm.); anthelmintic, 15 grains (1 Gm.) per day.

Official Salt. Thymolis Iodidum

Eng., Thymol Iodide. Synonyms, Thymol Di-iodide, Aristol.

A brown or yellowish powder, almost odorless and insoluble in water. Sometimes used as a dusting powder for cutaneous lesions. Seldom employed.

Therapeutic Action

Antiseptic, anthelmintic.

Uses

Principally employed for hookworms; also used in solution with other agents as a mouth-wash, nasal spray, gargle, etc., in the treatment of such conditions as nasal catarrh, stomatitis, pharyngitis and pyorrhoea alveolaris.

Administration

While Thymol is a constituent of some ointments, antiseptic solutions, etc., its more common employment is for intestinal parasites, particularly hookworm. For this purpose it is usually administered in doses of from 30 to 80 grains. It may be prescribed in a powdered state suspended in water by means of Acacia, but is more commonly administered in capsules, either alone or with sugar of milk. When well triturated with an inert powder, as sugar of milk, it is supposed to be less irritating to the gastric mucosa, and less apt to form concretions when the gelatin of the capsule is dissolved.

Not more than 5 to 7 grains of the powder should be prescribed to the capsule. As the safety of large doses depends on the comparative insolubility of the drug in the normal intestinal juices, care should be exercised that the patient has and keeps the intestinal tract free from alcoholics, oils and fats.

The drug should be eliminated promptly, as it is slightly soluble even in water. A common method of employment is as follows:

M. ft. cap. no. xx.

Sig

Take five (5) at 8, 9, 10, and 11 a.m.

Written instructions as to diet, purgative, etc., should be given the patient. The following would illustrate:-

Saturday

Eat or drink only skimmed milk, buttermilk, rice broth, gelatin, toast, jelly, baked apples, sherbet, tea, coffee, lemonade, water. Nothing but water after 6 p.m. No alcoholics, oil or grease during the day.

Sunday

Take a tablespoonful of Epsom Salt in a glass of hot lemonade at 6 a.m. Take five (5) capsules every hour beginning at 8 a.m. Repeat the salts and lemonade at 1 p.m.

Take nothing in the way of food or drink but water till 2 p.m.; can then have dry toast, jelly, gelatin, baked apples, sherbet, tea, coffee, lemonade, grape-juice, oranges. No alcoholics, oils or grease during the day.

Monday

Same diet, etc., as Saturday.

When capsules are inadvisable the following may be used in the same way as the prescription just given:

M.

Sig

"Shake."

Tablespoonful at 8, 9, 10, and 11 a.m.

The following illustrates a somewhat common employment of the drug:

In the treatment of dermatitis:

M.

Sig

Apply freely.