Thymus marschallianus Willd. is a Lamiaceae species spread in a large variety of habitats worldwide. The aim of the present research was to analyse two different samples belonging to this species, one obtained from the spontaneous flora and one from culture. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acid contents were spectrophotometrically determined. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyphenols was performed by an HPLC-DAD-ESI (+)-MS method. For the antibacterial assay, the well-diffusion and the broth microdilution methods were used. Analysis of polyphenols revealed for both samples the presence of flavonoids like luteolin, quercetin, apigenin and their derivatives, but also of rosmarinic acid and methyl-rosmarinate. Differences regarding the amount of these compounds were emphasized. Significantly larger amounts of flavonoids were found for the sample harvested in the spontaneous flora, while for the rosmarinic acid, larger amounts were found for the cultured sample. Both samples displayed promising antibacterial activity, particularly towards Gram positive organisms. T. marschallianus represents, therefore, a rich source of polyphenolic compounds that prove its promising potential as a medicinal species.

The performed phytochemical and biological analyses contribute to the preclinical knowledge about V. ovalifolium and they could help exploiting it in novel herbal medicinal products.

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Thymus species are important aromatic, medicinal and culinary plants with a significant economic value. This study evaluated for the first time the chemical composition and in vitro bioactivities of the essential oils (EOs) from five Moldavian Thymus species (T. vulgaris, T. × citriodorus, T. calcareus) and cultivars (T. vulgaris ‘Faustini’, T. citriodorus ‘Aureus’). The main compounds in Thymus EOs were: thymol in T. vulgaris and T. calcareus EOs (55.44% and 55.45%, respectively), lavandulol in T. × citriodorus EO (54.27%), and geraniol in T. citriodorus ‘Aureus’ and T. vulgaris ‘Faustini’ EOs (60.31% and 31.45%, respectively). T. vulgaris and T. calcareus EOs showed the most potent antioxidant activities (EC50=0.003 mg/mL in ABTS radical cation scavenging assay) and exhibited significant inhibitory effects against aflatoxin‐producing Aspergillus flavus fungus (MIC=0.25 μL/mL). At doses that provided micromolar concentrations of thymol, T. vulgaris and T. calcareus EOs acted genoprotective at preventive and interventional levels against H2O2‐induced genomic damage in V79 cells, the former being more active (6.21% and 5.52% vs. 25.13% and 7.26% tail DNA in pre‐ and post‐treatment protocols, respectively). The genoprotective effects may be ascribed to antioxidant potential and, possibly, to stimulation of DNA repair processes. The Moldavian Thymus species are valuable resources of bioactive EOs for pharmaceutical and food industries (T. vulgaris, T.calcareus) but also for flavor industry and perfumery (T. × citriodorus, T. citriodorus ‘Aureus’, T. vulgaris ‘Faustini’).

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The article presents updated data on Caryophyllaceae Juss species extinct in the spontaneous flora of the Republic of Moldova, assigned according to the IUCN classification to the category EW (Extinct in the Wild). For nine species: Cerastium perfoliatum L., Dianthus pseudarmeria M.Bieb., Gypsophila perfoliata L., Hylebia nemorum (L.) Fourr., Minuartia viscosa (Schreb.) Schinz. et Thell., Petrorhagia saxifraga (L.) Link, Sagina procumbens L., Scleranthus uncinatus Schur. and Silene multiflora (Ehrh.) Pers. are indicated data on designations in latin, romanian and russian, synonymy, maps of general distribution of the species and in the republic, habitat, quantitative aspect of populations, limitation factors, biological and ecological features, cultivation, status and protection measures, useful properties.