Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Thymus Praecox

Abstract

Aim of Study: It was aimed to determine the chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the Thymus praecox which distributed in the Kastamonu region. Material and methods: Spectroscopic and chromotographic analysis were applied in the determination of the chemical composition. Thyme extracts were prepared using five different solvents. In Thymus praecox, the presence of flavonoids using HPLC and the chemical content of essential oil using GC-MS were investigated. The analyses of the mineral were determined in leaf and stem of thyme by ICP-OES. Antioxidant capacity was determined using two methods such as DPPH free radical scavenging and H2O2 scavenging. Antibacterial activity on ten bacteria, Gram (+) and Gram (-) was tested using the disc diffusion method. Main results: Experimental results showed that thyme extracts have antibacterial activities against some bacteria. As a result, it was found that the most affected bacteria was S. aureus. Inhibition zone diameter was determined to be between 8-12 mm. The effect of solvent on antibacterial activity, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and total flavonoid amounts were observed. Highlights: These results showed that T. praecox has the potential to be used as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agent, and can be used as a natural supportive treatment.