Antibacterial and antifungal activities of thymol: A brief review of the literature.

Abstract

Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) is the main monoterpene phenol occurring in essential oils isolated from plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family (Thymus, Ocimum, Origanum, and Monarda genera), and other plants such as those belonging to the Verbenaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Apiaceae families. These essential oils are used in the food industry for their flavouring and preservative properties, in commercial mosquito repellent formulations for their natural repellent effect, in aromatherapy, and in traditional medicine for the treatment of headaches, coughs, and diarrhea. Many different activities of thymol such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, local anaesthetic, antinociceptive, cicatrizing, antiseptic, and especially antibacterial and antifungal properties have been shown. This review aims to critically evaluate the available literature regarding the antibacterial and antifungal effects of thymol.

• Authors: Anna Marchese, Ilkay Erdogan Orhan, Maria Daglia, Ramona Barbieri, Arianna Di Lorenzo, Seyed Fazel Nabavi, Olga Gortzi, Morteza Izadi, Seyed Mohammad Nabavi
• Journal: Food chemistry (Food Chem) Vol. 210 Pg. 402-14 (Nov 01 2016) ISSN: 1873-7072 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 27211664 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antifungal Agents
• Antioxidants
• Thymol

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antifungal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antioxidants (pharmacology)
• Thymol (chemistry)