Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Thymus vulgaris L. Essential Oil Growing Wild in Tunisia
Hafedh Hajlaoui
Research Unit Valorization and Optimization of Resource Exploitation (UR16ES04), Faculty of Science and Technology of Sidi Bouzid, University of Kairouan, Campus University agricultural city - Sidi Bouzid 9100 Tunisia.
Soumaya Arraouadi
Regional Center of Agricultural Research (CRRA) Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa Road Km 6, PB 357, Sidi Bouzid 9100, Tunisia and Laboratory of Valorization of unconventional waters, INRGREF, University of Carthage, Tunisia.
Hedi Mighri
Range Ecology Laboratory, Arid Region Institute, University of Gabes, El-Jorf Road Km 22.5, 4119 Medenine, Tunisia.
Kaïss Aouadi
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia and University of Monastir, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, Avenue of the Environment, Monastir 5019, Tunisia.
Mejdi Snoussi *
Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioressources, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avenue Taher Hadded BP 74, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia and Department of Biology, Hail University, College of Science, P.O. Box 2440, 81451 Ha’il, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Emira Noumi
Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioressources, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avenue Taher Hadded BP 74, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia and Laboratory of Bioressources: Integrative Biology and Recovery, High Institute of Biotechnology-University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
Adel Kadri
Faculty of Science and Arts in Baljurashi, Albaha University, P.O. Box (1988), Albaha, Saudi Arabia and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science of Sfax, University of Sfax, B.P. 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The aim of this work is to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of Tunisian Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVEO). DPPH, superoxide anion, reducing power, chelating effect on ferrous ions and β-Carotene assays have been employed to determine the antioxidant potential of TVEO. In contrast, 24 reference bacterial strains and 16 fungal strains have been used for the assessment of the antimicrobial activity. Results revealed that TVEO has as carvacrol (67.33%) chemotype, it was equipped with an important antioxidant capacity that is better (P<0.05) than synthetic antioxidants (BHT, BHA, Vitamin C and EDTA) except for superoxide anion test. A higher antimicrobial activity was also observed with IZ, MIC and MBC values of bacterial strains were ranged from 10.33±0.57 to 37.33±0.57mm; 0.019 to 0.078 mg/mL and 0.039 to 0.31 mg/mL respectively. But those of fungal strains were varied between 24.66±1-47.33±1.53 mm; 0.004-0.078 mg/mL and 0.019-0.15 mg/mL respectively. In summary, the obtained data makes TVEO as a good and suitable candidate for its use in food and pharmaceutical purposes.
Keywords: Thymus vulgaris, essential oil, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal