title: Antibacterial and antifungal activities of thymol: A brief review of the literature.
abstract: Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) is the main monoterpene phenol occurring in essential oils isolated from plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family (Thymus, Ocimum, Origanum, and Monarda genera), and other plants such as those belonging to the Verbenaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Apiaceae families. These essential oils are used in the food industry for their flavouring and preservative properties, in commercial mosquito repellent formulations for their natural repellent effect, in aromatherapy, and in traditional medicine for the treatment of headaches, coughs, and diarrhea. Many different activities of thymol such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, local anaesthetic, antinociceptive, cicatrizing, antiseptic, and especially antibacterial and antifungal properties have been shown. This review aims to critically evaluate the available literature regarding the antibacterial and antifungal effects of thymol.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, IRCCS-San Martino-IST and DISC, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, 06330 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilkay Erdogan
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daglia
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, IRCCS-San Martino-IST and DISC, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.affiliation: Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Fazel
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Nabavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Technological Educational Institution of Thessaly, Terma N. Temponera Str., Greece.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gortzi
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izadi
authors.affiliation: Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Nabavi208@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nabavi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D013943:Thymol / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D013943:Thymol
keywords: Antibacterial; Antifungal; Monoterpene; Thymol; Thymus