ABSTRACT
Antibiotic resistant bacteria are immune to most antibiotics and are therefore very difficult to treat and in most cases lead to death. As such there is a pressing need for alternative and more efficient antibacterial drugs which can target these drug-resistant strains as well. The objective of this research work was to investigate the antibacterial properties of Thymus linearis essential oil (EO) against multiple disease-causing bacterial pathogens. Additionally, the study aimed to examine the molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of the primary components of the EO with the essential bacterial proteins and enzymes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to analyse the chemical composition of Thymus linearis EO. The initial screening for antibacterial properties involved the use of disc diffusion and microdilution techniques. Molecular docking studies were conducted utilising Autodock Vina. The outcomes were subsequently visualised through BIOVIA Discovery Studio. MD simulations were conducted using iMODS, an internet-based platform designed for MD simulations. The essential oil (EO) was found to contain 26 components, with thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene being the primary constituents. The study findings revealed that Thymus linearis EO demonstrated antibacterial effects that were dependent on both the dose and time. The results of molecular docking studies revealed that the primary constituents of the EO, namely thymol, carvacrol, and p-cymene, exhibited robust interactions with the active site of the bacterial DNA gyrase enzyme. This finding provides an explanation for the antibacterial mechanism of the EO. The results indicate that Thymus linearis EO possesses potent antibacterial properties against the MDR microorganisms. Molecular docking analyses revealed that the essential oil's primary components interact with the amino acid residues of the DNA-Gyrase B enzyme, resulting in a favourable docking score.
