title: Comparison of antibacterial activity of natural and hydroformylated essential oil of Thymus capitatus growing wild in north Sardinia with commercial Thymus essential oils.
abstract: Thymus capitatus growing wild in Sardinia showed different essential oil composition if grown surrounding Cagliari than in north Sardinia. Here we verify the composition and antimicrobial activity of the oil to make it suitable for the cosmetic and confectionery industries. With the aim of improving the scent and the antimicrobical activity of T. capitatus essential oil, a hydroformylation reaction was carried out to transform the unsaturated components of the oil into the corresponding aldehydes. The essential oil of T. capitatus exhibited a significant antibacterial activity (MIC 0.125-0.5 mg/mL), and was also found effective on C. albicans (MIC 0.125 mg/mL). After hydroformylation, several new irregular terpenoid aldehydes were detected. The perfume of the new terpenic-like aldehydes is very agreeable and, therefore, the acceptability of the aroma is remarkably improved, but the antimicrobial activity was not increased.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Sassari, via Muroni 23/a, 07100 Sassari, Italy. dsfusai@uniss.it
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Usai
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foddai
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sechi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juliano
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007558:Italy; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile