Exploration of the biochemical variability of Thyum extracts

The data currently available demonstrate the interest of aromatic and medicinal plants as a source of biologically active molecules in terms of quantity and quality. Among these plants, the species of the genus Thymus which are traditionally known for their medicinal potentiality. The present work consisted, in a first step, in the determination of the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins of four fractions (hexane, acetone 60%, ethyl acetate and water) of T. algeriensis. In a second step, an exploration of the antioxidant activities via different tests was performed. In a last step, the antimicrobial activity of these fractions was done. The main results, related to the phenolic compounds contents and the antioxidant potentialities, showed a clear superiority of the ethyl acetate fraction. Finally, concerning the antimicrobial activity, the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active, particularly against Klebsiella sp. and Micrococcus luteus. Overall, our results demonstrate the excellent potential of Thymus algeriensis as a source of bioactive molecules of mainly medicinal interest.