Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Thyme use in a psychotic patient: a case report

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2014; 24: Supplement S181-S182
Keywords : thyme, herb, substance abuse
Read: 1581 Published: 18 February 2021

Substance abuse is defined as recurrent pattern of substance use manifested by significant adverse consequences without tolerance, withdrawal and compulsive use. Examples of substances that can be abused are alcohol, amphetamines, caffeine, cannabis, cocaine, phencyclidine, hallucinogens, inhalants, nicotine, opioids and sedative-hypnotic-anxiolytic drugs. Additionally, abuse of various plants such as cat mint, poppy seeds, kava, khat and peyote is reported. Thyme is widely used in our country among the public and it has various application areas such as cramps solvent, disinfectant and expectorant. Drinking thyme tea, ingestion of thyme mixed with honey, rubbing the body with thyme tincture, thyme bath are mentioned as forms of use. Herein a psychotic patient, who previously had mixed substance abuse, using thyme plant as self-medication is reported and discussed within the context of substance use disorders. A 22 year old male patient, living with his parents was hospitalized because he had complaints such as ongoing self-talk, inappropriate laughter, insomnia, loss of appetite and irritability. He had outpatient follow-ups because of drug abuse and he had psychotic symptoms since two years which caused his hospitalization three times in acute psychosis clinics. “To get rid of cannabis addiction”, he used various substances, among them “thyme was selected” and he claimed that “thyme is better than other herbs to be heady”, and therefore he stated that continuously he used thyme. After antipsychotic treatment and 7 ECT sessions psychotic symptoms greatly declined. On 6th week of his admission, he was discharged with risperidone 4 mg/day, biperidene 4 mg/day, risperidone 50 mg injection/two weeks. Some herbal products sold without prescription may affect the central nervous system and drug interactions might be seen in addition to direct psychoactive effects. It is known also that some plants are widely used for treatment of psychiatric diseases. Studies showed that thyme, oregano, thyme oils and extracts have antitumor, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects on blood lipids. Thymol which is the main active ingredient of thyme is used for antiseptic mouthwash. Thyme was referred as an herbal drug used for the medication of nightmares and headaches and inhaling his vapor is used for melancholy and epilepsy. In our case thyme is used in patient’s own words “to get rid of cannabis addiction”. Also he stated the exhilarating potential of thyme and advantage of the relaxing effect. In our case, continuous and intensive use of thyme is emphasized as well as its use in the form of cigarettes which is not included previously in the literature. Comorbid psychotic disorder and substance use of patient confound when considering the effects attributed to the use of thyme. In order to provide more information in this area, further research is needed to enlighten the physiological and psychotropic effects of herbal products, withdrawal symptoms and dependence syndrome.
 

EISSN 2475-0581