Chemical composition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of essential oils of Algerian Thymus vulgaris L.

Abstract

Antimicrobial drugs are highly popular in the treatment of infectious diseases and particularly nosocomial infections. However, excessive microbial exposure to drugs has become the most important factor triggering the emergence and spread of multidrug resistance (MDR) of microorganisms (1). This phenomenon has become a pressing global problem for two reasons. Firstly, it increases morbidity and mortality rates and treatment costs. Secondly, it limits the effectiveness of existing drugs and enhances the number of treatment failures (2). Furthermore, in the last few decades, cancer has become one of the most fiercely combated diseases around the world (3). Synthetic drugs are often the only option for cancer chemotherapy (4). However, most of them kill not only tumor cells but also the normal ones (5). Therefore, there is an urgent need for new treatments with few side effects. The use of medicinal plants and especially their secondary metabolites, essential oils (EOs), may pose a viable alternative. Thymus vulgaris L., known as common thyme (Lamiaceae family), is a perennial herb indigenous to the Mediterranean region, Asia, Southern Europe and North Africa (6). It is widely used in folk medicine and also in the food industry as a spice and natural preservative. Its oil is among the top 10 EOs exhibiting various biological activities (7) mainly due to phenols, e.g. thymol and carvacrol (8). This considerable potential of thyme oil encouraged us to analyze its chemical structure by GC-FID and GC-MS and verify its antimicrobial activity against seven reference strains responsible for nosocomial infections. We also assessed its cyto

Compounds from the root of Pueraria peduncularis (Grah. ex Benth.) Benth. and their antimicrobial effects

“…These plants were mainly from the families Compositae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Labiatae, Rutaceae, Myrtaceae, Gramineae, and Lauraceae, among others. [3][4][5][6][7][8] Currently, nine natural products from plants, including matrine, baicalin, berberine, carvacrol, and allicin, have been registered as botanical fungicides in China. 9 Based on the above results, screening antimicrobial plants and identifying their active compounds have value.…”

“…In past years, many articles have reported that plant secondary metabolites can produce active compounds against phytopathogens. These plants were mainly from the families Compositae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Labiatae, Rutaceae, Myrtaceae, Gramineae, and Lauraceae, among others . Currently, nine natural products from plants, including matrine, baicalin, berberine, carvacrol, and allicin, have been registered as botanical fungicides in China .…”

Antifungal Effect of Essential Oils

“…Seema and Devaki [88] studied the antifungal activity of several EOs against R. solani and revealed that cinnamon's EO (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Breyne) completely inhibited the growth of the fungus at a concentration of 500 ppm. The EOs of T. vulgaris [89], Salvia fruticosa [90], Mentha piperita [91][92][93][94], Monarda spp. [95], Calocedrus macrolepis var.…”

The recent development of thymol derivative as a promising pharmacological scaffold

“…In view of these facts, search of novel analog with active pharmacology is the call of the day. Indeed, selected phytochemicals are less toxic with rich bioactive properties and act for chemoprevention and as chemotherapeutics (Aazza et al, 2011; Frehner et al, 2008; Marzouk et al, 2015; Zambonelli et al, 2004). This review aims to explore the various synthetic routes (2005–2020) and the structure activity relationship (SAR) of the thymol scaffold, having ascertained biological efficacies.…”