Biological properties and chemical profiling of essential oils of Thymus (vulgaris, algeriensis and broussonettii) grown in Morocco

© 2021 Elsevier B.V.In this study, the antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties of the essential oils of Thymus algeriensis, Thymus broussonetii and Thymus vulgaris grown in Morocco were investigated. The results obtained will help complete the already published data on these types of plants, especially using untested bacterial and fungal strains with these plants' essential oils. The major volatile compound was found to be thymol for the T. algeriensis (33.24%), while it was carvacrol for T. broussoneii (67.85%) and T. vulgaris (27.31%). The mortality rate, in the insecticidal assay, reached 100% at low concentrations (3 ¿L) after 48 h for all testes oils. The radical scavenging activity of the essential oils, measured by the inhibition of the free radicals DPPH¿ and ABTS¿+, showed that the essential oils of the three Thymus species have a slightly similar efficiency. Additionally, the tested oils inhibited the growth of the strains used in this study, with efficiency more or less close to 90%. These results reveal promising prospects for the future exploitation of Thymus essential oil as a potential source of natural pesticide, antibacterial and antioxidant substances that may be used for future investigations.