title: Chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal activity of the essential oil of Thymbra spicata L. from Turkey.
abstract: The composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Thymbra spicata L. from Turkey was analysed by GC-MS and its in vitro antimicrobial activity was examined. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil resulted in the identification of twenty-three constituents, representing 97.04% of the oil. The major compounds detected in the essential oil were carvacrol (60.39%), gamma-terpinene (12.95%), and p-cymene (9.61%). The in vitro efficacy of the essential oil against 21 bacteria and seven Candida species was examined using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods. The essential oil demonstrated strong anti-microbial activity in a wide spectrum against most microorganisms, particularly the yeasts tested. This is the first report on the anticandidal properties of the essential oil of T. spicata. In conclusion, this study confirms that T. spicata essential oil could be considered as a natural antimicrobial source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey. unlum@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unlü
authors.forename: Gülhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vardar-Unlü
authors.forename: Nilüfer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dönmez
authors.forename: Z Yeşim
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Ozbaş
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010938:Plant Oils; C007210:4-cymene; C018669:gamma-terpinene; C073316:carvacrol