Chemical analysis and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils of Satureja thymbra L. and Thymbra spicata L. and their main components

Abstract

This work covers the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils isolated from Satureja thymbra and Thymbra spicata analyzed using GC/MS. The main components of S. thymbra oil were thymol (33.8 %), ?-terpinene (30.8 %) and p-cymene (11.8 %). The main components in T. spicata oil were carvacrol (74.5 %) and ?-terpinene (11.2 %). The oils and their main components, thymol and carvacrol, were assayed by applying the microdilution method for antibacterial and antifungal activity against food poisoning, plant, animal and human pathogenic microorganisms. The oil of T. spicata and carvacrol showed the highest antimicrobial activity.