Polyphenolic and molecular variation in Thymus species using HPLC and SRAP analyses

Abstract

In the present research, inter and intra genetic variability of 77 accessions belonging to 11 Thymus species were assessed using eight SRAP primer combinations. High polymorphism (98.3%) was observed in the studied species. The cluster analysis classified Thymus species into five main groups. According to molecular variance (AMOVA) analysis, 63.14% of total genetic variation was obtained within the species, while 36.86% of variation was observed among species. STRUCTURE analysis was also performed to estimate the admixture of species. For instance, T. carmanicus and T. transcaspicus revealed high admixtures. HPLC analysis also demonstrated the presence of rosmarinic acid (32.3–150.7 mg/100 g DW), salvianolic acid (8–90 mg/100 g DW), and cinnamic acid (1.7–32.3 mg/100 g DW) as major phenolic acids, as well as apigenin, epicatechin, and naringenin as the major flavonoids. The highest phenolic and flavonoid contents were detected in T. transcaspicus (37.62 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g−1 DW) and T. vulgaris (8.72 mg quercetin equivalents (QE) g−1 DW), respectively. The antioxidant properties and total phenolic of Thymus species were examined using DPPH and β-carotene-linoleic acid model systems and consequently T. vulgaris and T. pubescens were detected with the highest and the lowest antioxidant activities respectively. Cluster and principal Components Analysis (PCA) of the components classified the species in to three groups. Finally, similarity within some species was observed comparing molecular and phytochemical markers. For instance, T. vulgaris separated from other species according to major polyphenolic profiles and molecular analyses, as well as T. transcaspicus, T. carmanicus, and T. fedtschenkoi that were clustered in the same groups.

Optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from Thymus comosus Heuff. ex Griseb. et Schenk (wild thyme) and their bioactive potential

“…However, the OpTC extract under investigation revealed a lower content of rosmarinic acid (0.95 μg/g), rather showing a large abundance of hydroxybenzoic acids (such as benzoic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, on average: 15.41 μg/g). The high abundance of delphinidin (32.12 μg/g) is coherent with the purple-crimson colour of the flower, whilst the presence of luteolin 7-glucoside was also reported in previous work [48] dealing with the analysis of 11 different Thymus species.…”

Impact of Metallic Nanoparticles on In Vitro Culture, Phenolic Profile and Biological Activity of Two Mediterranean Lamiaceae Species: Lavandula viridis L’Hér and Thymus lotocephalus G. López and R. Morales

“…The second most abundant compounds found in the extracts were salvianolic acid B in L. viridis (between 1181 mg/kg in 5 mg/L ZnO and 11,035 mg/kg in 1 mg/L CuO) and salvianolic acid A isomer I in T. lotocephalus (between 203 mg/kg in 1 mg/L ZnO and 1387 mg/kg in 5 mg/L CuO). Although being identified for the first time in these species, salvianolic acids were found in other Lavandula [42,43] and Thymus [44][45][46] species. Studies from Taghouti et al [44] with several endemic Iberian Thymus species highlight the importance of salvianolic acids levels in Thymus extracts and their bioactivity.…”

The Therapeutic Potential of Ethnomedicinally Important Anatolian Thyme Species: A Phytochemical and Biological Assessment

“…et Kotschy ex Celak extracts are rather scarce and the research is mainly focused on its volatile compounds, according to a previous study, rosmarinic acid was the main constituent of T. pubescens Boiss. et Kotschy ex Celak, and gallic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, luteolin , p -coumaric acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, apigenin, naringenin, and salvianolic acid were also detected in the plant extract ( Sarfaraz et al, 2021 ).…”