Composition of the Essential Oils of Thymus and Origanum Species from Algeria and Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 54; no. 17; pp. 6314 - 6321
• Main Authors: Hazzit, Mohamed, Baaliouamer, Aoumeur, Faleiro, M. Leonor, Miguel, M. Graça
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 23.08.2006
• Subjects: Algeria; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; antibacterial properties; antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Aroma and flavouring agent industries; Biological and medical sciences; chemical constituents of plants; essential oil crops; essential oils; Food industries; Food microbiology; food pathogens; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeria monocytogenes - drug effects; Monoterpenes - analysis; monoterpenoids; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Origanum; Origanum - chemistry; Origanum floribundum; Origanum glandulosum; Thymol - analysis; Thymus (Lamiaceae); Thymus guyonii; Thymus munbyanus; Thymus numidicus; Thymus pallecens; Thymus Plant - chemistry; Algeria; Spice; T. pallecens; Oregano; O. floribundum; antimicrobial activity; Antioxidant; antioxidant activity; Antimicrobial agent; T. guyonii; O. glandulosum; Chemical composition; Essential oil; T. numidicus; Species; T. munbyanus
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf0606104

The composition of the essential oils of Origanum and Thymus species restricted to Algeria and the North Africa region was determined. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the isolated essential oils were also determined. The oils of oregano plants were strongly characterized by p-cymene (16.8−24.9%), γ-terpinene (16.8−24.9%), thymol (8.4−36.0%), and carvacrol (1.1−29.7%), a thymol chemotype for Origanum floribundum and a α-terpineol chemotype for Thymus numidicus being described for the first time. The strains of Listeria monocytogenes tested were relatively resistant to the action of essential oils of either Origanum or Thymus species. All essential oils possessed antioxidant activity, but this was dependent on the specific chemical composition and the method employed to determine such activity. Keywords: O. glandulosum; O. floribundum; T. guyonii; T. pallecens; T. numidicus; T. munbyanus; antioxidant activity; antimicrobial activity; essential oil