The toxicological analysis of lead impurities in traditional herbal medicinal product with Thymi herba (Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L.) from pharmacies in Poland: the impurity profile and comprehensive toxicological risk assessment

Traditional herbal medicinal products (THMP) with Thymi herba (Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis L.) are very popular among the European population. The idea of our study was the toxicological analysis of lead impurities in THMP with Thymi herba obtained from Polish pharmacies. For this purpose, we prepared the impurity profiles and comprehensive toxicological risk assessment. The Pb impurity profiles show lead impurities in all samples investigated (in the range: 2.15-6.99 μg/L). The estimations of Pb impurities in the single dose (32.25-105.01 ng/single dose) and in the daily dose (64.50-210.00 ng/day) were based on the posology recommended by the manufacturers. All the results obtained meet the standards of the ICH Q3D (R1) guideline on elemental impurities according to the levels of Pb. It can be concluded that all investigated THMPs with Thymi herba available in Poland should not represent any health risk to adults.

Thymus vulgaris, a natural pharmacy against COVID-19: A molecular review

Introduction

A worldwide pandemic infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of a deadly disease called COVID-19. Interaction of the virus and the Angiotensin converting-enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor leads to an inflammatory-induced tissue damage. Thymus vulgaris L. (TvL) is a plant with a long history in traditional medicine that has antimicrobial, antiseptic, and antiviral properties. Thymol and Carvacrol are two important biological components in Thyme that have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. This study is a molecular review on the potential effects of TvL and its active compounds on SARS-COV2 infection.

Method

This is a narrative review in which using PubMed, Scopus, ISI, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Google scholar, and Arxiv preprint databases, the molecular mechanisms of therapeutic and protective effects of TvL and its active compounds have been discussed regarding the molecular pathogenesis in COVID-19.

Results

Thyme could suppress TNF-alpha, IL-6, and other inflammatory cytokines. It also enhances the anti-inflammatory cytokines like TGF-beta and IL-10. Thyme extract acts also as an inhibitor of cytokines IL-1-beta and IL-8, at both mRNA and protein levels. Thymol may also control the progression of neuro-inflammation toward neurological disease by reducing some factors. Thyme and its active ingredients, especially Thymol and Carvacrol, have also positive effects on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and intestinal microbiota.

Conclusions

Accordingly, TvL and its bioactive components may prevent COVID-19 complications and has a potential protective role against the deleterious consequences of the disease.

Enhancement of PCL/PLA Electrospun Nanocomposite Fibers Comprising Silver Nanoparticles Encapsulated with Thymus Vulgaris L. Molecules for Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been recognized for their outstanding antibacterial activities, which are required for antibacterial coating materials in therapeutic applications. A bacterial-resistant electrospun nanofibrous mat made of polycaprolactone (PCL) in combination with polylactide acid (PLA) containing silver nanoparticles encapsulated with Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) extract (eAgNPs) was fabricated in order to assess the potential of applicability in biomedical applications such as cancer treatment, wound healing, or surgical sutures. In the current study, PCL and PLA used as the basis polymers were blended with biosynthesized eAgNPs, pure AgNPs, and thyme extract (TE) to observe the effects of additives in terms of antibacterial and anticancer activity and morphologic, thermal, mechanical, biocompatibility, and biodegradability properties. The biological characteristics of fabricated electrospun nanofibrous mats were evaluated in vitro. Physicochemical characteristics of the nanofibrous mats were examined by UV-vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical tensile testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric examination (TGA), and water contact angles (WCAs). The results showed that a biodegradable nanofiber scaffold with a mean fiber diameter of 280 nm is morphologically homogeneous and highly hydrophobic, has higher tensile strength than PCL/PLA nanocomposite fiber, and is resistant to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The cytotoxic and anticancer properties of nanomaterials were defined using L929 and SK-MEL-30 cells. The developed material inhibited cell proliferation and led to apoptosis of cell lines. It can be suggested that the use of Thymus vulgaris L. extract-encapsulated silver nanoparticle-doped PCL/PLA nanofibers produced by the electrospinning method has the potential for cancer therapy in skin tumor cell lines.

Glutaminase inhibitory activities of pentacyclic triterpenes isolated from Thymus vulgaris L

Glutaminase is an important target that is often over expressed in neurodegenerative and　lifestyle related diseases but few effective inhibitors of this enzyme have yet reached clinical trials. Ursolic acid (1), betulinic acid (2) and oleanolic acid (3), three pentacyclic triterpene acids, have been isolated from the leaves of Thymus vulgaris L. Enzyme inhibition experiments demonstrated their inhibitory effects against glutaminase activity. Compound 2 significantly inhibited the glutaminase activity with IC₅₀ of 0.31 mM, stronger than the positive control 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) with IC₅₀ of 0.57 mM. Compound 2 may serve as a potential lead compound for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and lifestyle related diseases by targeting glutaminase. This is the first report on glutaminase inhibitory activities of 1-3 isolated from T. vulgaris L.

Yields, chemical composition, and antimicrobial activity of two Algerian essential oils against 40 avian multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains

AIM

The aim of this study is to investigate, in vitro, a possible antibacterial activity of Algerian essential oils (EOs) of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) and that of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) against multidrug-resistant avian Escherichia coli strains and this in a perspective of their future use as a substitute for antibiotics (ATBs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In addition to the reference strain of E. coli ATCC 25922, 40 strains of avian E. coli have been isolated (24 strains of broilers and 16 of turkeys), their antimicrobial resistance profile was determined by antibiogram tests against 21 ATBs whereupon they were subjected to the action of two Algerian EOs; the EO of Thyme (T. vulgaris L.) and that of Coriander (C. sativum L.), which oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and this for the determination of their chemical composition. The antibacterial activity, resulting in zones of inhibition, was evaluated by carrying out, in triplicate, aromatograms for both pure EO and that which has been diluted to 15% in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO), while the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the two EOs were highlighted by the method of liquid macrodilution.

RESULTS

Antibiogram performance demonstrated an alarming state of antimicrobial resistance, the multidrug resistance rate was estimated at 100% for the broilers chicken strains and at 81.25% for strains isolated from turkeys, hydrodistillation allowed to obtained EOs with yields estimated at 1.22±0.26% for Thyme EO and 0.23±0.15% for the essence of Coriander, the GC-MS analysis identified 19 main compounds and showed that the majority chemical components were Carvacrol (73.03%) for Thyme volatile oil and Linalool (60.91%) for Coriander EO, aromatograms and the determination of MIC concluded that the EO of Thyme showed a greater antibacterial activity with an average of the zones of inhibition estimated at 26.75±0.426 mm and MIC ranging from 0.07 to 0.93 mg/ml against an average of the inhibition zones evaluated at 17.05±0.383 mm and MICs evaluated between 0.6 and 10 mg/ml for the EO of Coriander.

CONCLUSION

In aviculture, these results seem to be very promising in the case where we think about the replacement of ATBs by EOs, in vivo studies would be very interesting to confirm or invalidate this hypothesis.

Comparison Between Different Flavored Olive Oil Production Techniques: Healthy Value and Process Efficiency

Three different flavoring methods of olive oil were tested employing two different herbs, thyme and oregano. The traditional method consist in the infusion of herbs into the oil. A second scarcely diffused method is based on the addition of herbs to the crushed olives before the malaxation step during the extraction process. The third innovative method is the implementation of the ultrasound before the olive paste malaxation. The objective of the study is to verify the effect of the treatments on the quality of the product, assessed by means of the chemical characteristics, the phenol composition and the radical scavenging activity of the resulting oils. The less favorable method was the addition of herbs directly to the oil. A positive effect was achieved by the addition of herbs to the olive paste and other advantages were attained by the employment of ultrasound. These last two methods allow to produce oils "ready to sell", instead the infused oils need to be filtered. Moreover, the flavoring methods applied during the extraction process determine a significant increment of phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of olive oils. The increments were higher when oregano is used instead of thyme. Ultrasound inhibited the olive polyphenoloxidase, the endogenous enzyme responsible for olive oil phenol oxidation. This treatment of olive paste mixed with herbs before malaxation was revealed as the most favorable method due to the best efficiency, reduced time consumption and minor labor, enhancing the product quality of flavored olive oil.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of different organic crude extracts from the local medicinal plant of Thymus vulgaris L

OBJECTIVE

To isolate and analyze the chemical composition in different crude extracts of from the leaves of locally grown of Thymus vulgaris L (T. vulgaris) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

METHODS

The shade dried leaves powder was extracted with methanol by using Soxhlet extractor. Methanol crude extracts of T. vulgaris and the derived fractions of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol were obtained.

RESULTS

Qualitative analyses of various organic crude extracts of T. vulgaris by using GC-MS showed that there were different types of high and low molecular weight compounds. Most of the isolated and identified compounds by GC-MS in the crude extracts are basically biologically important. Further, the T. vulgaris leaf possessed certain characteristics that can be ascribed to cultivation on a domestic plantation. The crude extracts were prepared from the powder leaves of T. vulgaris for respective compounds can be chosen on the basis of above GC-MS analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

All the major compounds were identified and characterized by spectroscopic method in different organic crude extracts of T. vulgaris are biologically active molecules. Thus the identification of a good number of compounds in various crude extracts of T. vulgaris might have some ecological role.