Comparative Analysis of Five Moroccan Thyme Species: Insights into Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Potential, Anti-Enzymatic Properties, and Insecticidal Effects

Comparative Analysis of Five Moroccan Thyme Species: Insights into Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Potential, Anti-Enzymatic Properties, and Insecticidal Effects

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and bioactivities of essential oils (EOs) from five Moroccan thyme species: <i>Thymus broussonetii</i> subsp. <i>broussonetii, T. maroccanus</i>, <i>T. willdenowii</i>, <i>T. zygis</i> subsp. <...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamed Ouknin, Hassan Alahyane, Naima Ait Aabd, Sara Elgadi, Youssef Lghazi, Lhou Majidi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
thyme species
essentials oils
chemical composition
biological activities
lethal concentrations
<i>Aphis gossypii</i>
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/1/116
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Summary:This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and bioactivities of essential oils (EOs) from five Moroccan thyme species: <i>Thymus broussonetii</i> subsp. <i>broussonetii, T. maroccanus</i>, <i>T. willdenowii</i>, <i>T. zygis</i> subsp. <i>gracilis</i>, and <i>T</i>. <i>satureioides</i>, collected from various geographical regions. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified thymol, <i>p</i>-cymene, borneol, γ-terpinene, carvacrol, α-pinene, and camphene as major constituents, with variations across species. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) revealed important levels of calcium (450.6–712.2 mg/kg), potassium (255.4–420.7 mg/kg), magnesium (97.3–150.7 mg/kg), and iron (1.95–15.1 mg/kg). The EOs demonstrated strong antioxidant activity in DPPH, FRAP, and <i>β</i>-carotene bleaching assays. Insecticidal activity against <i>Aphis gossypii</i> revealed the highest efficacy with <i>T. willdenowii</i> EO (LC<sub>50</sub> = 6.2 µL/mL), followed by <i>T. maroccanus</i> and <i>T. zygis</i> subsp. <i>gracilis</i>. Additionally, the EOs exhibited potent enzyme inhibitory effects at 1 mg/mL on acetylcholinesterase (83.1–96.4%), tyrosinase (77.5–89.6%), and α-glucosidase (79.4–89.5%). These findings suggest that thyme EOs, particularly from <i>T. willdenowii</i>, <i>T. zygis</i>, and <i>T. maroccanus</i>, are promising candidates for integrated pest management and natural enzyme inhibitors. Their potential applications in medicinal and pharmaceutical fields underscore the need for further research to optimize their use under specific conditions and dosages.
ISSN:2223-7747

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