In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of acetone and methanol extracts from Thymus leucotrichius (Lamiaceae).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Thymus species has been used as tonic and herbal tea, antiseptic, antitussive, carminative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. The acetone and methanol extracts of Thymus (T.) leucotrichius (Labiatae/Lamiaceae) was examined for antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antioxidant properties of acetone and methanol extracts of Thymus leucotrichius were investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)/nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging activity, reducing power and total phenolic substance analysis. Antibacterial, antiyeast and antifungal activity of the plant extracts were tested using the disc diffusion method. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results showed that IC50 of Thymus leucotrichius acetone and methanol extracts that scavenged 50% of the DPPH radical in the medium was found to be 109.72 microg/ml, 43.53 microg/ml, respectively. It was found that IC50 of Thymus leucotrichius acetone and methanol extracts which scavenged 50% of the NO radical in the medium was 180.56 microg/ml, and 67.34 microg/ml, respectively. In the Thymus leucotrichius acetone and methanol extracts (1 mg), 35.64 microg and 51.78 microg pyrocatechol equivalents of phenols were detected, respectively. Neither acetone nor methanol extract possessed activity towards Proteus vulgaris, Rhodotorula rubra, Candida albicans, Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus niger. Acetone extract was the most active on Bacillus cereus and Bacillus megaterium. The sentivity was also observed against towards Escherichia coli H7:O157, Kluvyeromyces fragilis and Fusarium proliferatum when acetone extract used. The methanol extract also displayed more or less similar inhibitory activity towards the test microorganisms. Kluvyeromyces fragilis was resistant to methanol extract of the species unlike acetone extracts of the species. However, the fungus Fusarium proliferatum was markedly inhibited by the methanol extract of test species at 1000 microg and above. Significant inhibitory activities of the two extracts were based upon the increasing dose-dependent level.

In vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial assays of acetone extracts from Nepeta meyeri Bentham.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVIES: Nepeta species are used as diuretic, diaphoretic, antitussive, antispasmodic, antiasthmatic, febrifuge, emmenagogue, sedative agents, insecticidal, acaricidal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Acetone extract of Nepeta meyeri (Labiatae) was screened for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antioxidant prop erties of the extract were investigated by using various methods established in vitro systems such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)/nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging activity. Reducing power and total phenolic substance analysis and also antimicrobial activity of acetone extract of Nepeta meyeri were tested against six gram negative, seven gram positive bacteria and the yeast strain using the disc diffusion method. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Acetone extract of the plant examined exhibited a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of DPPH and NO* radical. Furthermore, Nepeta meyeri showed very high reducing power. In DPPH radical and NO* scavenging assays the IC50 value of extract was 672.2 microg/ml and 165.32 microg/ml, respectively. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were also determined and 12.86 microg pyrocatechol equivalents of phenols were detected in the extract. The data obtained from these in vitro models clearly demonstrated antioxidant potential of acetone extract of Nepeta meyeri. The extract revealed antibacterial activity against all gram positive bacteria but not was active against gram negative bacteria.

Oil composition and some morphological characters of Crambe orientalis var. orientalis and Crambe tataria var. tataria from Turkey.

Native Crambe orientalis var. orientalis and Crambe tataria var. tataria collected from Kahramanmaras flora were morphologically examined and seed oil composition was determined. Volatile acid and fatty acid composition of seeds were examined with GC and GC/MS and the ratio of volatile acids to total oil was 3.49% in C. orientalis and 17.49% in C. tataria. The ratio of fatty acids to total oil was 92.03 and 67.28% in C. orientalis, and C. Tataria, respectively. The amount of erucic acid was 39.29% in C. orientalis and 29.87% in C. tataria. High linolenic acid (21.21%) and linoleic acid (12.42%) was found in C. orientalis oil, and high linolenic acid (15.01%) and linoleic acid (9.00%) was also found in C. tataria oil.

Antimicrobial Activities of Some Plants from the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey.

Crude extracts obtained from the roots and aerial parts of Rumex crispus.L. and Acinos rotundifolius.Pers. and the whole plants of Ajuga chamaepitys. L. and of Lycopus europaeus. L. were evaluated for in vitro. antimicrobial activity against five Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus., Micrococcus luteus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus subtilis. var. niger., and three Gram-negative bacteria including Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa., and the yeast Candida albicans.. The inhibition zone diameter was determined for each extract using the agar well diffusion method at a concentration of 12.5 mg/ml. The acetone extracts of the roots of R. crispus. and A. rotundifolius. demonstrated significant inhibitory effects against most microorganisms under test.

Antibacterial and antifungal activity of the essential oils of Thymus revolutus Celak from Turkey.

The chemical composition of the volatile constituent from flowering parts of Thymus revolutus C., an endemic plant of Turkey, were analysed by GC/MS. Twenty-two components were identified, and carvacrol was found as a predominant compound in the oil. Furthermore, the essential oil was tested against 11 bacteria and four fungi at different concentrations. Results showed that the oil exhibited a significant antibacterial and antifungal activity.

Antimicrobial activities of several parts of Pinus brutia, Juniperus oxycedrus, Abies cilicia, Cedrus libani and Pinus nigra.

In this study, the antimicrobial activities of several parts of various trees grown in the Kahramanmaras region of Turkey were investigated by the disc diffusion method. Chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts of leaves, resins, barks, cones and fruits of Pinus brutia Ten., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Abies cilicia Ant. & Kotschy Carr., Cedrus libani A. Rich. and Pinus nigra Arn. were prepared and tested against Bacillus megaterium DSM 32, Bacillus subtilis IMG 22, Bacillus cereus FMC 19, Escherichia coli DM, Klebsiella pneumoniae FMC 3, Enterobacter aerogenes CCM 2531, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1, Mycobacterium smegmatis RUT, Proteus vulgaris FMC 1, Listeria monocytogenes Scoot A, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM 5007, Candida albicans CCM 314, Candida tropicalis MDC 86 and Penicillium italicum K. The results showed that antifungal effects were not observed for the whole extracts, E. coli was not inhibited by any of the plant extracts except by the chloroform and acetone extracts of the leaves of A. cilicia, which showed inhibition zones of 16-18 mm, respectively. All the plant extracts used in this study inhibited the development of the other bacteria studied. When the results of this study were compared with an ampicillin standard, it was found that the microorganisms studied were generally susceptible, intermediate or resistant to the extracts of species when compared with the ampicillin standard. On the other hand, the acetone and methanol extracts of Juniperus fruits were found to be quite resistant.