The protection of Thymus vulgaris leaves alcoholic extract against hepatotoxicity of alcohol in rats

Objective:This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of Thymus vulgaris(T.vulgaris) leaves 70%alcoholic extract against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats.Methods:The protective effect of extract was investigated at dose of 500 mg/kg/day orally against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity using adult male Wister albino rats during 21 days.Protective effect of T.vulgaris extract was evaluated comparing with silymarin standard drug al recommended dose(25 mg/kg/day) orally for 21 days.Results:Alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats(alcohol-control) showed hepatocytes distortion represented as marked increment on liver biomarkers;alkaline phosphatase(ALP),aspartate transaminase(AST) and alanine transaminase(ALT) activities,as well as pronounced reduction on total protein and its fractions albumin and globulin corresponding to normal ranges.Addition to oxidative stress status as depletion on glutathione concentration,catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione reductase(GR),glutathione-S-transferase(GST) and glutathione peroxidase(GPx)activities,concurrence with augmentation oxidative stress parameters;malondyaldchydc(MDA) and hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2) concentrations comparing to normal values.Alcohol administration elevated total cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) comparing to normal ranges.Co-administration T.vulgaris extract with alcohol showed protective effect on hepatocytes manifested as minimizing on ALP.AST and ALT activities and increment on total protein,albumin and globulin production compared to alcohol-control.Antioxidant enzymes activities;CAT.SOD.GR,GST and GPx were significantly magnified,while MDA and H_2O_2 concentration were lessened corresponding to alcohol-control.Also,lipid profile was markedly improved and risk ratio was lowered compared to alcohol-control.These results were confirmed by normalization of degenerated and fibrotic liver tissue as of alcohol-control.Conclusion:T.vulgaris extract appeared hepatoprotective,hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities on alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats compared to silymarin.

Chemical composition of essential oil of Thymus vulgaris collected from Saudi Arabian market

Objective: To focus on the analysis of chemical constituents of the Thymus vulgaris L.(locally known as "Zaitra" or "Za'atar"; Family: Lamiaceae) which is available in the market of Saudi Arabia.Methods: The Zaitra oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mass spectra were compared with the standard spectra available in National Institute Standard and Technique library.Results: The results indicated that the Thymus oil is composed of many chemical compounds including a pinene, thymol and caryophyllene which are biologically active and also used in various diseases.Conclusions: It can be concluded that the Thymus vulgaris due to presence of many bioactive compounds can be used as a new potential source of medicine for the treatment of various types of illness.

Alteration of Apoptotic Gene Expression and Reproductive Parameters through Thymus vulgaris Administration Following Paclitaxel-Induced Testopathy in Mice

Objective:Paclitaxel(PAC)is a chemotherapy drug and has an active role in the treatment of lung,breast,and ovarian cancers;however,its use causes increased levels of free radicals,leading to severe and irreversible organ damage.Thymus vulgaris is a species of flowering plant that contains various antioxidant chemical compounds.This study aimed to investigate the effect of T.vulgaris on PAC-induced oxidative damage in mice testis and sperm parameters.Methods:In this study,40 BALB/c mice were divided into five groups:normal control(NC);positive control(20 mg/kg of PAC);and three treatment groups(4.5,9,and 18 mg/kg doses of T.vulgaris extract+20 mg/kg PAC).Treatments were administered intraperitoneally daily for 50 days.Finally,the levels of serum luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),and testosterone were measured using immunoassay method.Testicular stereological features and sperm parameters were also calculated.Antioxidant parameters were measured using nitrite oxide(NO)and perioxidation levels and ferric-reducing ability of plasma assay.The expressions of p53,caspase-3,Bax,and Bcl-2 were measured through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results:T.vulgaris+PAC treatments at all doses significantly increased all parameters in NC and three treatment groups compared with the positive control group(20 mg/kg of PAC)(P<0.05),except the LH,FSH,and NO levels,which were decreased.Further,significantly downregulated levels of p53,caspase-3,and Bax genes and upregulated levels of Bcl-2 gene expression were noted in NC and three treatment groups in comparison with the positive control group(P<0.05).Conclusions:T.vulgaris administration attenuates the toxic effects of PAC on male reproductive parameters.

Effect of temperature and extraction process on antioxidant activity of various leaves crude extracts of Thymus vulgaris

Objective:To observe the effect of temperature and extraction process on the estimation of antioxidant activity of various organic crude extracts from the leaves of Thymus vulgaris(T.vulgaris)species native to Sultanate of Oman.Methods:The dry powder samples of T.vulgaris were extracted with methanol using two different extraction methods.Both methanol crude extracts from the leaves of T.vulgaris were defatted with water and extracted successively with different polarities of solvents with increasing polarities,e.g.,hexane,ethyl acetate,chloroform and butanol.Results:The yield of methanol crude extract by Soxhlet extraction method is better than maceration method.The yield of extraction was increasing with increasing temperature.The antioxidant activity of different crude extracts from both extraction methods was measured by DPPH with modification.By Soxhlet extraction method,the activity result found in butanol crude extracts was highest and the lowest in hexane crude extract as the following order of butanol>methanol>ethyl acetate extract>chloroform>hexane extract.However,by maceration method,the activity was highest in ethyl acetate and lowest in chloroform as the order of ethyl aectate>methanol extract>butanol>hexane>chloroform.Conclusions:In conclusion,the maceration method is the best method for the evaluation of antioxidant activity.

Chemical Compositions and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oil from Thymus Seedlings of Tissue Culture

[Objective] This study aimed to compare and analyze the chemical compositions, the relative contents and the antibacterial activity of the essential oils extracted from the tissue culture seedlings, the aseptic seedlings and the common seedlings from seeds of Thymus vulgaris. [Method] The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation; the chemical compositions and their relative contents were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC/MS） and peak area normalization method; and the antimicrobial activity was tested by filter paper method. [Result] A total of 54 compositions were identified from these three samples, they had similar main compositions： thymol, m-Cymene, terpinene and so on, and these compositions were slightly different in contents. In addition, the essential oils from these three samples exhibited obvious antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, in which the antibacterial activity against S. aureus was stronger than against E. coli. [Conclusion] It is possible to produce essential oil by tissue culture technology; the main compositions and antibacterial activity of the oils remained almost the same.