-
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2020Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) belongs to the phenolic monoterpenes and mostly occurs in thyme species. It is one of the main compounds of thyme essential oil. Both... (Review)
Review
Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) belongs to the phenolic monoterpenes and mostly occurs in thyme species. It is one of the main compounds of thyme essential oil. Both thymol and thyme essential oil have long been used in traditional medicine as expectorant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic agents, mainly in the treatment of the upper respiratory system. The current search for new directions of biological or therapeutic activities of natural plant substances with known structures includes thyme essential oil and thymol. Novel studies have demonstrated their antibiofilm, antifungal, antileishmanial, antiviral, and anticancer properties. Also, their new therapeutic formulations, such as nanocapsules containing these constituents, can be beneficial in medicinal practice and create opportunities for their extensive use. Extensive application of thymol and thyme essential oil in the healthcare sector is very promising but requires further research and analysis.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Antiparasitic Agents; Antiviral Agents; Apoptosis; Biofilms; Cell Proliferation; Cryptococcus; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Monoterpenes; Oils, Volatile; Phenols; Plant Extracts; Plant Oils; Polymers; Thymol; Thymus Plant
PubMed: 32917001
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184125 -
Journal of Medicine and Life 2014The study was designed to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris cultivated in Romania. The essential...
The study was designed to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris cultivated in Romania. The essential oil was isolated in a yield of 1.25% by steam distillation from the aerial part of the plant and subsequently analyzed by GC-MS. The major components were p-cymene (8.41%), γ-terpinene (30.90%) and thymol (47.59%). Its antimicrobial activity was evaluated on 7 common food-related bacteria and fungus by using the disk diffusion method. The results demonstrate that the Thymus vulgaris essential oil tested possesses strong antimicrobial properties, and may in the future represent a new source of natural antiseptics with applications in the pharmaceutical and food industry.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; Cymenes; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Monoterpenes; Oils, Volatile; Thymol; Thymus Plant
PubMed: 25870697
DOI: No ID Found -
Veterinary Medicine and Science Jan 2022Thymol and carvacrol as natural essential oils and phenol compounds are components derived from some medicinal plants, such as thyme and oregano species. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Thymol and carvacrol as natural essential oils and phenol compounds are components derived from some medicinal plants, such as thyme and oregano species.
OBJECTIVES
The increasing demands in organic and healthy meat and egg consumption in human society have made it necessary to consider alternative natural compounds for the replacement of chemical compounds in poultry production. The chemical compounds can remain in meat and eggs and cause complications in human health. Therefore, these natural compounds can be fed with a higher safety in poultry production with specific effects. In this regard, the role of thymol and carvacrol as natural compounds in the poultry production has been discussed in the review.
METHODS
In this study, by searching for keywords related to thymol and carvacrol in poultry production in Google Scholar database, the articles related to different aspects of the biological effects of these two phytogenes in poultry production were selected and analyzed.
RESULTS
A review of previous studies has shown that thymol and carvacrol possess a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, modulating of immunity response and regulating of the gut microbial population. Also, in meat type chickens can promote growth and influence feed utilization. The beneficial effect of this compound was evaluated in hepatic toxicity and demonstrated as a hepatoprotective compound in chickens. Furthermore, these compounds can affect the behavior of layers and influence egg composition, eggshell thickness, and the sensory quality of eggs.
CONCLUSION
It seems that with the increasing demand for healthy protein products, these compounds can be used to improve performance as a substitute alternative for chemical compounds in healthy poultry farms.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Cymenes; Dietary Supplements; Monoterpenes; Poultry; Thymol
PubMed: 34761555
DOI: 10.1002/vms3.663 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022Due to the current concerns against opportunistic pathogens and the challenge of antimicrobial resistance worldwide, alternatives to control pathogen growth are...
Due to the current concerns against opportunistic pathogens and the challenge of antimicrobial resistance worldwide, alternatives to control pathogen growth are required. In this sense, this work offers a new nanohybrid composed of zinc-layered hydroxide salt (Simonkolleite) and thymol for preventing bacterial growth. Materials were characterized with XRD diffraction, FTIR and UV-Vis spectra, SEM microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. It was confirmed that the Simonkolleite structure was obtained, and thymol was adsorbed on the hydroxide in a web-like manner, with a concentration of 0.863 mg thymol/mg of ZnLHS. Absorption kinetics was described with non-linear models, and a pseudo-second-order equation was the best fit. The antibacterial test was conducted against O157:H7 and strains, producing inhibition halos of 21 and 24 mm, respectively, with a 10 mg/mL solution of thymol-ZnLHS. Moreover, biofilm formation of inhibition was tested, with over 90% inhibition. Nanohybrids exhibited antioxidant activity with ABTS and DPPH evaluations, confirming the presence of the biomolecule in the inorganic matrix. These results can be used to develop a thymol protection vehicle for applications in food, pharmaceutics, odontology, or biomedical industries.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antioxidants; Biofilms; Free Radicals; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Thymol; Zinc
PubMed: 36234690
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196161 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2021The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of carvacrol, thymol and nisin against Staphylococcus aureus and the combined effect of carvacrol and thymol...
The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of carvacrol, thymol and nisin against Staphylococcus aureus and the combined effect of carvacrol and thymol against Salmonella Enteritidis. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of carvacrol, thymol, and nisin for S. aureus were 200, 150 and 30 µg/mL, respectively. MIC of carvacrol and thymol for Salmonella Enteritidis was 200 µg/mL. A factorial method of independent variables was then used to study the combined effect of antimicrobials. Results showed that combinations of carvacrol-thymol-nisin (reduction of 1.2 log CFU/mL for MIC and 4.98 log CFU/mL for 2MIC), carvacrol-thymol (reduction of 1.33 log CFU/mL for 2MIC), nisin-thymol (reduction of 3.52 log CFU/mL for 2MIC) and nisin-carvacrol (reduction of 3.41 log CFU/mL for 2MIC) attained a significant inhibition of S. aureus. Similarly, there was significant reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis due to combined effect of thymol-carvacrol (reduction of 4.5 log CFU/mL for MIC and inhibition below detection limit for 2MIC). Therefore, the combinations of natural antimicrobials described in this work showed potential to be used as an additional barrier for food safety.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cymenes; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Monoterpenes; Nisin; Salmonella enteritidis; Staphylococcus aureus; Thymol
PubMed: 34730626
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120210550 -
Anti-protozoal activity of Thymol and a Thymol ester against Cryptosporidium parvum in cell culture.International Journal For Parasitology.... Apr 2021Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan parasite that infects intestinal epithelial cells causing malabsorption and severe diarrhea. The monoterpene thymol has been...
Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan parasite that infects intestinal epithelial cells causing malabsorption and severe diarrhea. The monoterpene thymol has been reported to have antifungal and antibacterial properties but less is known about the antiparasitic effect of this compound. Terpenes are sometimes unsuitable for therapeutic and food applications because of their instability. Esterification of terpenes eliminates this disadvantage. The present study evaluates the effects of thymol (Th) and a thymol ester, thymol octanoate (TO), against C. parvum infectivity in vitro. The cytotoxicity IC value for TO after 24 h of treatment was 309.6 μg/mL, significantly higher than that of Th (122.5 μg/mL) in a human adenocarcinoma cell line (HCT-8). In the same way, following 48 h of treatment, the cytotoxicity IC value for TO was significantly higher (139 μg/mL) than that of Th (75.5 μg/mL). These results indicate that esterification significantly reduces Th cytotoxicity. Dose-dependent effects were observed for TO and Th when both parasite invasion and parasite growth assays were evaluated. When evaluated for their activity against C. parvum growth cultured in vitro in HCT-8 cells, the anti-cryptosporidial IC values were 35.5 and 7.5 μg/mL, for TO and Th, respectively. Together, these findings indicate that esterified thymol has anti-cryptosporidial effect comparable with its parental compound thymol, but with improved safety margins in mammalian cells and better physicochemical properties that could make it more suitable for diverse applications as an antiparasitic agent.
Topics: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Cryptosporidium parvum; Esters; Humans; Thymol
PubMed: 33647675
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.02.003 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2022Thymol affects various types of tumor cell lines, including colorectal cancer cells. However, the hydrophobic properties of thymol prevent its wider use. Therefore, new...
Thymol affects various types of tumor cell lines, including colorectal cancer cells. However, the hydrophobic properties of thymol prevent its wider use. Therefore, new derivatives (acetic acid thymol ester, thymol β-D-glucoside) have been synthesized with respect to hydrophilic properties. The cytotoxic effect of the new derivatives on the colorectal cancer cell lines HT-29 and HCT-116 was assessed via MTT assay. The genotoxic effect was determined by comet assay and micronucleus analysis. ROS production was evaluated using ROS-Glo™ HO Assay. We confirmed that one of the thymol derivatives (acetic acid thymol ester) has the potential to have a cyto/genotoxic effect on colorectal cancer cells, even at much lower (IC~0.08 μg/mL) concentrations than standard thymol (IC~60 μg/mL) after 24 h of treatment. On the other side, the genotoxic effect of the second studied derivative-thymol β-D-glucoside was observed at a concentration of about 1000 μg/mL. The antiproliferative effect of studied derivatives of thymol on the colorectal cancer cell lines was found to be both dose- and time-dependent at 100 h. Moreover, thymol derivative-treated cells did not show any significantly increased rate of micronuclei formation. New derivatives of thymol significantly increased ROS production too. The results confirmed that the effect of the derivative on tumor cells depends on its chemical structure, but further detailed research is needed. However, thymol and its derivatives have great potential in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, which remains one of the most common cancers in the world.
Topics: Colorectal Neoplasms; Esters; Glucosides; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Reactive Oxygen Species; Thymol
PubMed: 35565973
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092622 -
PloS One 2022Interaction of thymol, carvacrol and linalool with fungal lipase and Human Serum Albumin (HSA) have been investigated employing UV-Vis spectroscopy Fluorescence and...
Interaction of thymol, carvacrol and linalool with fungal lipase and Human Serum Albumin (HSA) have been investigated employing UV-Vis spectroscopy Fluorescence and Circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) along with docking studies. Thymol, carvacrol and linalool displayed approximately 50% inhibition at 1.5 mmol/litre concentrations using para-nitrophenyl palmitate (pNPP). UV-Vis spectroscopy give evidence of the formation of lipase-linalool, lipase-carvacrol and lipase-thymol complex at the ground state. Three molecules also showed complex formation with HSA at the ground state. Fluorescence spectroscopy shows strong binding of lipase to thymol (Ka of 2.6 x 109 M-1) as compared to carvacrol (4.66 x 107 M-1) and linalool (5.3 x 103 M-1). Number of binding sites showing stoichiometry of association process on lipase is found to be 2.52 (thymol) compared to 2.04 (carvacrol) and 1.12 (linalool). Secondary structure analysis by CD spectroscopy results, following 24 hours incubation at 25°C, with thymol, carvacrol and linalool revealed decrease in negative ellipticity for lipase indicating loss in helical structure as compared with the native protein. The lowering in negative ellipticity was in the order of thymol > carvacrol > linalool. Fluorescence spectra following binding of all three molecules with HSA caused blue shift which suggests the compaction of the HSA structure. Association constant of thymol and HSA is 9.6 x 108 M-1 which along with 'n' value of 2.41 suggests strong association and stable complex formation, association constant for carvacrol and linalool was in range of 107 and 103 respectively. Docking results give further insight into strong binding of thymol, carvacrol and linalool with lipase having free energy of binding as -7.1 kcal/mol, -5.0 kcal/mol and -5.2 kcal/mol respectively. To conclude, fungal lipases can be attractive target for controlling their growth and pathogenicity. Employing UV-Vis, Fluorescence and Circular dichroism spectroscopy we have shown that thymol, carvacrol and linalool strongly bind and disrupt structure of fungal lipase, these three phytochemicals also bind well with HSA. Based on disruption of lipase structure and its binding nature with HSA, we concluded thymol as a best anti-lipase molecule among three molecules tested. Results of Fluorescence and CD spectroscopy taken together suggests that thymol and carvacrol are profound disrupter of lipase structure.
Topics: Binding Sites; Circular Dichroism; Humans; Lipase; Molecular Docking Simulation; Protein Binding; Serum Albumin, Human; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Thermodynamics; Thymol
PubMed: 35617167
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264460 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Feb 2020The present study evaluated gluco-conjugation as a measure to delay thymol absorption and enhance its antimicrobial activity in the gut of weaned piglets. The three...
The present study evaluated gluco-conjugation as a measure to delay thymol absorption and enhance its antimicrobial activity in the gut of weaned piglets. The three dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet without additives (T), supplemented with thymol at 3.7 mmol/kg dry matter (T), or with an equimolar amount of thymol α-D-glucopyranoside (T). Each dietary treatment was replicated in 6 pens with 2 piglets per pen ( = 12 for analytical parameters) and was supplemented for 14 days. The total (free plus gluco-conjugated) thymol concentrations in the stomach contents were 14% lower in T as compared to T piglets. Neither of the additives could be detected further down the gut. counts in the proximal small intestine were significantly lower in T than in T pigs (3.35 vs. 4.29 log CFU/g); however, other bacterial counts and their metabolites were unaffected by treatment. A metagenomic bacterial analysis revealed a great relative abundance of spp. in the distal small intestine (range 88.4%-99.9%), irrespective of treatment. The intestinal barrier function was improved by T, but not T, compared to T In conclusion, gluco-conjugation did not result in higher thymol concentrations in the gut, but conversely, it seemed to diminish the biological effects of thymol in vivo.
PubMed: 32092931
DOI: 10.3390/ani10020329 -
IUBMB Life Jan 2019This review aims to summarize the anticancer effects of the natural monoterpene phenol derivative of cymenethymol and its derivatives as well as further molecular... (Review)
Review
This review aims to summarize the anticancer effects of the natural monoterpene phenol derivative of cymenethymol and its derivatives as well as further molecular docking study to correlate the interaction of thymol and biomacromolecules that involved in cancer cell growth. For this, an up-to-date (till July 2018) literature study were made through using PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, The American Chemical Society, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases. Literature study demonstrated that thymol, melasolv (3,4,5-Trimethoxycinnamate thymol ester), and Mannich bases of thymol have potential anticancer effects in various test systems, including mice, rats and cultured cancer cells through various anticancer pathways such as antioxidant/oxidative stress induction, apoptosis, anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory, anti-genotoxicity, chemo-, and radiopreventive ways. A few earlier scientific evidences showed that thymol is less toxic to mammalian systems. In silico study of thymol and its derivatives against 17 essential proteins revealed that 6BVH (PARP-1) and 5LIH (protein kinase C) are the most efficient receptor protein for interaction and binding of thymol and melaslov for the cancer prevention and initiation. On the basis of the summary of this review and docking study, it is evident that thymol may be one of promising plant-derived cancer chemotherapeutic agents. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 71(1):9-19, 2019.
Topics: Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Cell Proliferation; Cinnamates; Humans; Mice; Molecular Docking Simulation; Neoplasms; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; Protein Kinase C; Rats; Thymol
PubMed: 30308112
DOI: 10.1002/iub.1935