Autecology, Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Thymus carmanicus Jalas. from Golestan Province in North of Iran

Abstract

This research had been carried out to ecological characters, phytochemical, anti bacterial and antioxidant activity of <em>Thymus carmanicus</em> Jalas. in Golestan province .In several field observation, the aerial parts of plant in blooming were collected from Deraznoo Mountain inSeptember 2013 (2700 m). Essential oil was obtained by hydro distillation and analyzed by GC/MS. Phytochemical assay included: TP (total phenol) and TF (Total flavonoid) were determined by spectrophotometrically, antioxidant capacity were obtained by TAC, RP and DPPH methods and the antibacterial by using agar well method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Results showed that<em> T. carmanicus</em> is the most aromatic mountainous herb, which wild growing in cold dry climate (1800-2750 m) in Golestan province, with annual raining 30.5 mm, annual temperature 17.5 °C , in sandy clay loam soil with pH= 7.5 and Ec=2.1 dc and have long been used in traditional medicines of this region as a strong tonic, anti inflammation, carminative, anti virus, anti infection, anti fungus, anti ulcer and sedative . The carvacrol (41.4%), thymol (27.2%) and β-caryophylene were the major constituents of <em>T. carmanicus</em> oil , with total phenols (TP= 81.7±0.3 GAE/ g), total flavonoids (TF= 34.2±0.8 QUE/g), which had good antioxidant activity (IC50 = 21.8±0.1 µg/ml ), especially in DPPH method .The maximum activity of the essential oil was observed against <em>Candida albicans</em> ( 35.8±0.6 mm), <em>S.epidermidis</em> ( 33.1± 0.4 mm), <em>B. subtilus</em> ( 29.5± 0.2 mm), <em>S.aureus</em> ( 28.3±0.2 mm), <em> E.coli</em> (23.1±0.4 mm), <em>Enterococcus faecalis </em>( 17.2±0.8 mm) and <em>Kelebsiella pneumoniae</em> ( 16.5±0.2mm) with MIC value in the range of 10 - 132 mg/mL. According to these results, the aerial parts of plant have rich source of terpenoides , flavonoid and phenolic componds and showed good antioxidant and antibacterial activity, which will be confirmed the traditional uses of <em>T. carmanicus </em>Jalas. in these regions as an good anti-inflammatory, sedative and anti infection.