en Fingerprint Study of <i>Thymus</i> spp. by TLC فارماكوگنوزی و فارماسيوتيكس Pharmacognosy & Pharmaceutics پژوهشی Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background:</strong> Thymus is a widely used medicinal plant in food and pharmaceutical industries. Among different species of Thymus, <em>T. vulgaris</em> is used more than other species in therapeutic dosage forms. <strong>Objective:</strong> This study was conducted to differentiate various Thymus species by TLC fingerprint. <strong>Methods:</strong> In order to identify and differentiate various species of Thymus, TLC fingerprints of essential oil, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and n-butanol extracts of four available species named <em>T. vulgaris</em>, <em>T. pubescens</em>, <em>T. citriodorus</em> and <em>T. daenensis</em> were obtained and compared with each other. <strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that the TLC chromatograms of essential oil and n-butanol extract can not be used as differential identification for the above-mentioned species while the ethylacetate and dichloromethane extracts are more reliable to be used for TLC fingerprints. TLC chromatogram of ethylacetate extract is specific for identification of <em>T. pubescens</em> and <em>T. vulgaris</em> while <em>T. citriodorus</em> and <em>T. daenensis </em>can be best identified by their TLC fingerprints obtained from dichloromethane extract. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> For best differentiation of various Thymus species, different extracts of the plants should be used.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background:</strong> Thymus is a widely used medicinal plant in food and pharmaceutical industries. Among different species of Thymus, <em>T. vulgaris</em> is used more than other species in therapeutic dosage forms. <strong>Objective:</strong> This study was conducted to differentiate various Thymus species by TLC fingerprint. <strong>Methods:</strong> In order to identify and differentiate various species of Thymus, TLC fingerprints of essential oil, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and n-butanol extracts of four available species named <em>T. vulgaris</em>, <em>T. pubescens</em>, <em>T. citriodorus</em> and <em>T. daenensis</em> were obtained and compared with each other. <strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that the TLC chromatograms of essential oil and n-butanol extract can not be used as differential identification for the above-mentioned species while the ethylacetate and dichloromethane extracts are more reliable to be used for TLC fingerprints. TLC chromatogram of ethylacetate extract is specific for identification of <em>T. pubescens</em> and <em>T. vulgaris</em> while <em>T. citriodorus</em> and <em>T. daenensis </em>can be best identified by their TLC fingerprints obtained from dichloromethane extract. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> For best differentiation of various Thymus species, different extracts of the plants should be used.</div> <,i>,Thymus vulgaris<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus pubescens<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus citriodorus<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus daenensis<,/i>,, TLC fingerprint <,i>,Thymus vulgaris<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus pubescens<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus citriodorus<,/i>,, <,i>,Thymus daenensis<,/i>,, TLC fingerprint 19 24 http://jmp.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-241-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 H Hajimehdipoor H Hajimehdipoor 100319475328460038250 100319475328460038250 No Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME M Khanavi M Khanavi 100319475328460038251 100319475328460038251 No Department of Pharmacognosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Department of Pharmacognosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences H Zahedi H Zahedi 100319475328460038252 100319475328460038252 No Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Z Abedi Z Abedi 100319475328460038253 100319475328460038253 No Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME N Kalantari Khandani N Kalantari Khandani 100319475328460038254 100319475328460038254 No Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME N Adib N Adib 100319475328460038255 100319475328460038255 No Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME Food and Drug Control Laboratories and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, MOH & ME M Pirali Hamedani M Pirali Hamedani piraliha@sina.tums.ac.ir 100319475328460038256 100319475328460038256 Yes Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences