Essential Oils from Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Chemical Composition and Biological Effects in Mouse Model

Dietary supplementation with thyme oil improves the reproductive characteristics of Barki adult and prepubertal ewes

The reproductive technology has a significant impact on the development of livestock production. The thyme oil, rich in phytoestrogen chemicals like apigenin, has been found to enhance reproductive performance by mimicking estrogen's action. This study aimed to investigate the effects of oral supplementation with thyme essential oil on the reproductive organ biometry, and reproductive performance in adult and prepubertal Barki ewes. Seventy ewes were treated with intravaginal sponges impregnated with 40 mg. medroxyprogesterone acetate for 14 days and simultaneously assigned randomly to two groups (20 adult and 15 prepubertal ewes per group), i.e., a control and a thyme oil treated (2.25 mg/kg body weight) group. The number of follicles, follicle diameter, corpora lutea diameter, and estrogen concentration were higher in the thyme oil-treated group than in the control group without comparing between adult ewes and prepubertal ewes. Additionally, the number and diameter of the large follicles were higher (P < 0.05) in the right-side ovary of adult ewes compared with that in prepubertal ewes at day 15. Moreover, thyme oil treatment resulted in higher conception (P < 0.01), lambing rates (P < 0.05), and fecundity (P < 0.01), with values 95.12, 136.73, and 130.25 compared with those in the control group, with values 63.51, 105.24, and 66.97, respectively, without comparing between adult ewes and prepubertal ewes. The adult ewes had a stronger estrus response and better fertility measurement values than prepubertal ewes. Additionally, the estrogen serum levels were positively correlated with the number (P < 0.05) and diameter (P < 0.01) of follicles, and the progesterone serum concentration was positively correlated with the corpora lutea diameter (P < 0.01), without treated group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with thyme oil improved the follicular population and reproductive performance, which has a good effect on the adult and prepubertal ewes in the Barki ewes.

Monoterpenes: Essential Oil Components with Valuable Features

Medicinal plants have a wide range of secondary metabolites including monoterpene. These volatile compounds are the main components of essential oils, belonging to the isoprenoid group and possessing valuable features for plants and humans. This review provides comprehensive information on chemical structures and classification of monoterpenes. It describes their biosynthesis pathways and introduces plant families and species rich in noteworthy monoterpenes. Bio-activities, pharmacological and pesticide effects as well as their mechanism of action are reported. Applications of these compounds in various industries are also included.

Bioactive Compounds in the Ethanol Extract of Marine Sponge Stylissa carteri Demonstrates Potential Anti-Cancer Activity in Breast Cancer Cells

Objective:

Despite advanced treatment options available, drug resistance develops in breast cancer (BC) patients requiring novel effective drugs. Stylissa carteri, a marine sponge predominantly living in Indonesia territories, has not been extensively studied as anti-cancer. Therefore, this study targeted to assess the anti-tumor activity of the ethanol extract of S. carteri in BC cells.

Methods:

S. carteri was collected from Pramuka Island, at Kepulauan Seribu National Park, Jakarta, Indonesia and extracted using ethanol. Different BC cells including MDA MB 231, MDA MB 468, SKBR3, HCC-1954 and MCF-7 cells were treated with this extract for cytotoxic analysis using MTT assay. Spheroid growth assay and apoptosis assay were conducted in HCC-1954 cells. In addition, cell migration analysis and synergistic activity with doxorubicin or paclitaxel were conducted in MDA MB 231 cells. This extract was subjected also for GC-MS analysis.

Results:

The results show that ethanol extract of S. carteri demonstrated a cytotoxic activity in BC cells. The IC₅₀ of this extract was lower 15 μg/ml in MDA MB 231, MDA MB 468, SKBR3, and HCC-1954 cells. Moreover, this extract inhibited spheroids growth and induced apoptosis in HCC-1954 cells. It inhibited cell migration and demonstrated a synergistic activity with doxorubicin or paclitaxel on triggering cell death in MDA MB 231 cells. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis indicated that this extract contained 1,2-Benzenediol, Dibutyl phthalate and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, ethyl ester.

Conclusion:

Our preliminary data indicate a potential anti-tumor activity of ethanol extract of S. carteri in breast cancer cells.

Effect of thyme oil-alginate-based coating on quality and microbial safety of fresh-cut apples

BACKGROUND

Food preservation is critical for keeping fresh-cut products fresh, nutritious, safe, attractive and available for consumers. To improve the safety and quality of fresh-cut fruits, 15 essential oils (EOs) were screened to test the antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Salmonella typhimurium (ST), Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC O157:H7). The effect of alginate-based edible coating (EC) incorporating different concentrations thyme oil on fresh-cut 'Red Fuji' apples was investigated.

RESULTS

Results showed that thyme oil, cinnamon oil and oregano oil were more effective in inhibiting the microbes than other EOs. The result showed that the combined usage of 0.5 µL mL^-1 thyme oil incorporated with alginate-based EC could significantly inhibit the microbial growth, respiration, weight loss, firmness and browning of fresh-cut 'Red Fuji' apples.

CONCLUSION

The edible coating and natural additives like thyme oil could be used to preserve the quality of fresh-cut fruits. It revealed that EC incorporated with 0.5 µL mL^-1 thyme oil can be a safe preservative for fresh-cut apples. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The protection of Thymus vulgaris leaves alcoholic extract against hepatotoxicity of alcohol in rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect of Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) leaves 70% alcoholic extract against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats.

METHODS

The protective effect of T. vulgaris extract was investigated at dose of 500 mg/kg/day (as 0.1 of LD₅₀) orally against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity using adult male Wister albino rats during 21 days. Protective effect of T. vulgaris extract was evaluated comparing with silymarin standard drug at recommended dose (25 mg/kg/day) orally for 21 days. Serum liver and kidney functions, serum lipid profile, liver antioxidant enzymes activities, liver glutathione concentration (GSH), liver oxidative parameters and histopathological study of liver and kidney were estimated to find out protective effect of T. vulgaris extract.

RESULTS

Alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats (alcohol-control) showed hepatocytes distortion represented as marked increment on liver biomarkers; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities, as well as pronounced reduction on total protein and its fractions albumin and globulin production corresponding to normal ranges. Oxidative stress status was appeared on alcohol-control evident as significant depletion on GSH concentration, antioxidant enzymes activities; catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione- S- transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) recorded significant dwindling, concurrence with significant augmentation on oxidative stress parameters; malondyaldehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations with respect to normal values. Serum lipid profile was affected by alcohol administration, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly reduced, meanwhile high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was raised comparing to normal ranges. Co-administration of T. vulgaris extract with alcohol showed protective effect on hepatocytes manifested as remarkable minimizing on ALP, AST and ALT activities and marked increment on total protein, albumin and globulin production compared to alcohol-control. Amelioration was achieved on oxidative stress status on rats co-administrated T. vulgaris extract with alcohol. Accordingly, antioxidant enzymes activities; CAT, SOD, GR, GST and GPx were significantly magnified, while oxidative stress parameters; MDA and H₂O₂ concentration were significantly lessened corresponding to alcohol-control. Also, lipid profile was markedly improved and risk ratio was lowered by T. vulgaris extract co-administrated in comparison with alcohol-control. All these obvious results were confirmed by histopathological examination, which illustrated that extract showed normalization of degenerated and fibrotic liver tissue as of alcohol-control.

CONCLUSION

T. vulgaris extract protected hepatocytes from damaging by alcohol reflecting improvement on liver performance and inhibition of oxidative stress status of liver. T. vulgaris extract appeared hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities on alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats compared to silymarin.