Planting and seasonal and circadian evaluation of a thymol-type oil from Lippia thymoides Mart. & Schauer

Abstract

BackgroundThe oil and extracts of Lippia thymoides have been used for various medicinal and food applications. Entrepreneurs in the Amazon have been considering the economic exploitation of this plant. The present study evaluated the influence of the seasonal and circadian rhythm on the yield and composition of the essential oil of leaves and thin branches of a Lippia thymoides specimen cultivated in Abaetetuba, State of Pará, Brazil. The constituents of the oils were identified by GC and GC–MS and with the application of multivariate analysis: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA).ResultsThe predominance of oxygenated monoterpenes (70.6–91.8%) was observed in oils, followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (1.2 to 21.6%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (3.9 to 9.1%). Thymol, thymol acetate, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, and (E)-caryophyllene were the first compounds. The mean thymol content was higher in the rainy season (seasonal: 77.0%; circadian: 74.25%) than in the dry period (seasonal: 69.9%; circadian: 64.5%), and it was influenced by climatic variables: rainfall precipitation, solar radiation, temperature, and relative humidity. For the circadian study, PCA and HCA analysis were applied to the constituents of oils from rainy and dry periods. Two groups were formed. A higher thymol content characterized the group 1, followed by (Z)-hexen-3-ol, α-thujene, α-pinene, α-phellandrene and humulene epoxide II, in minor percent. A higher content of p-cymene formed the group 2, γ-terpinene, thymol acetate and (E)-caryophyllene, followed by myrcene, α-terpinene, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, methylthymol, and germacrene D, in a low percentage.ConclusionsThe different chemical profiles found in the oils of L. thymoides must be associated with the environmental conditions existing at its collection site. The knowledge of this variation in the oil composition is essential from the ecological and taxonomic point of view, regarding the management and economic use of the species.

Chemical profile of Lippia thymoides, evaluation of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of its essential oil, and molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations

“…thymoides described in this work can be a natural source with potential for the development of new phytotherapics for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease or even be included in the diet of people with Alzheimer's. It is important to emphasize that in our previous work [47] it was shown that this specimen presents thymol as the majority constituent of essential oil throughout its seasonal cycle, which reinforces its viability as a source of obtaining this component.…”

Extraction Yield, Chemical Composition, Preliminary Toxicity of Bignonia nocturna (Bignoniaceae) Essential Oil and in Silico Evaluation of the Interaction

“…Multivariate analysis was performed according to a reported procedure, [63–65] using the Minitab® software. The variables used were the chemical compounds of the essential oil and aroma of Bignonia nocturna leaves and stems (≥0.1 %) obtained by HD, SD and SDE, thus forming a matrix of 12 (samples)×10 (variables).…”

Drying Effects on Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Lippia thymoides Essential Oil, a Natural Source of Thymol

“…In addition, Pinto et al (2013) [27] evaluated the methanolic extracts of leaves, branches, and flowers of L. thymoides, which exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus; these results corroborated its traditional use in the treatment of infectious diseases [27]. Despite the importance of this species in traditional medicine, few studies have reported the chemical composition of L. thymoides essential oil [28][29][30][31].…”