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Car Vac Roland Thymol Review
Car Vac Roland Thymol Review
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a
Infectious and Tropical Disease Research Center, bStudent Research Committee, cDrug Applied Research Center, and
d
Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Correspondence to Hossein Samadi Kafil, PhD, Assistant Professor, Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical
Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Tel: +98 9127184735; fax: +98 4133364661; e-mail: Kafilhs@tbzmed.ac.ir
Received: 21 October 2016; revised: 2 February 2017; accepted: 7 February 2017
DOI:10.1097/MRM.0000000000000100
ISSN 0954-139X Copyright Q 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. 63
Copyright © 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
64 Reviews in Medical Microbiology 2017, Vol 28 No 2
which belong to the Lamiaceae family of plants including Carvacrol is significant component of essential oils and
oregano and thyme [12]. In this study, we review recently has attracted much attention as a result of its
antimicrobial effects of carvacrol and thymol. biological properties, such as a wide spectrum of
antimicrobial activity. Because carvacrol exhibits strong
antioxidative properties and both hydrophobic properties
Traditional application associated with the substituted aromatic ring and
hydrophilic properties associated with the phenolic
The ancient Egyptians used thymol and carvacrol as OH group, numerous studies report its antioxidative,
protective agents to preserve the mummies [13]. They anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiproto-
were also used as an active additive in food flavoring, zoal, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, antinociceptive,
perfumes, cosmetics, mouthwash, and some of them have cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties [23].
been made for massaging the joints and to treat nail fungi
as topical ointments. Drugs formulated from these
compounds were administered to care for infections of
the mouth and throat and prevent of gingivitis [14]. Antibacterial effect of thymol and
carvacrol
Thymol Several studies were reported antibacterial effects of
thymol alone or in combination with other substance
Thymol (also known as 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) such as carvacrol [24]. These compounds can inhibit
(Fig. 1), a phenolic compound present in essential oils, is a growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria
natural monoterpene and carvacrol isomer that extracted [24]. Low toxicity and pleasant smell as well as taste of
from thyme and the other kinds of plants [15]. Thymol is thymol show that this material can be used as an additive
less water soluble at neutral pH, but it is as well soluble in to prevent bacterial spoilage [25]. Trombetta et al. [26]
some organic solvents and alcohols [16]. It has been report the antimicrobial efficacy of thymol against
observed its antioxidant, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Some researchers
and anti-inflammatory property [17]. It is a p-cymene speculated that the antibacterial mechanism of thymol
derivative compound and is also identified for the may consequence, at least partly, from a perturbation of
antiseptic and antimicrobial effects [18]. Some studies the lipid fraction of the bacterial plasma membrane,
have reported the usage of thymol for anticancer property resulting in changes of membrane permeability and in the
[19]. The antioxidant effects of thymol and carvacrol have escape of intracellular content [27,28]. Lambert, et al.
been confirmed in several studies, suggesting their exhibited antibacterial effect of thymol and carvacrol
administration as nutritious elements in the improvement against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. aureus as a result of
of novel functional foods [20]. Thymol protective disruption in membrane integrity, which further affects
nature against caries and plaques allures the field of the pH homeostasis and balance of inorganic ions [27].
dental drugs [21]. Therefore, antibacterial property of carvacrol and thymol
is dependent to their capability to permeabilize,
depolarize, and disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane.
Carvacrol
Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric examination
Carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol), (Fig. 1), is also indicated thymol is major essential oil of Monarda punctata.
monoterpene that found in many plant species such as The results of study carried by Li et al. [29] indicated that
thyme and with greater amount in oregano [22]. Streptococcus pyogenes, E. coli, and Streptococcus pneumonia
were the most susceptible to thymol, whereas methicillin-
resistant S. aureus was reported to be the most resistant
to the essential oil with relatively higher Minimum
Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum
bactericidal concentration (MBC) values. The disk
diffusion method data show thymol is most effective
against Brochothrix thermosphacta (Inhibition Zone:
39.7 mm) followed by Listeria monocytogenes and Salmo-
nella thyphimurium (Inhibition Zone: 35.6 and 33.3 mm,
respectively). The MIC and MBC values (0.25 and
0.5 mg/ml, respectively) were the same for L. mono-
cytogenes, S. thyphimurium, and E. coli O157:H7.
Pseudomonas fluorescens was the least inhibited by thymol
(MIC and MBC ranging from 1 to 1.5 mg/ml). These
Fig. 1. Chemical structure of thymol and carvacrol. components could be probable options to be applied as
natural alternatives for further usage in food conservation the susceptibility of S. typhimurium to ampicillin,
to hold up or inhibit the bacterial increase and for tetracycline, penicillin, bacitracin, erythromycin, and
protection and to expand the shelf existence of the food novobiocin and resistance of S. pyogenes to erythromycin
products. However, the verification of antibacterial [24]. On the basis of these data, the authors recommended
effects and organoleptic impact of these essential oils in that thymol in combination with specific antimicrobial
foodstuffs require assessing [30]. Results of several studies drugs may be an efficient alternative option to treat
were confirmed bactericidal effects of thymol and infections.
carvacrol against of pathogens and food spoilage bacteria
(Table 1) [24,31–39].
The antibacterial efficacy of carvacrol and thymol in Effect of thymol and carvacrol on biofilm
combination with other antibacterial compounds on formation
gram-negative and gram-positive organism were eval-
uated in some studies. The results of these studies will be Biofilm biomass is a mixture of exopolysaccharides,
affected by the methods for detection of synergy effects. proteins, DNA, and extracellular matrix that has the
For example Hamoud et al. [40], reported checkerboard stabilizing role of biofilm construction [42]. Bacteria in a
data indicate indifferent interaction against gram-positive biofilm are much more resistant to antibiotics than to
and synergy against gram-negative bacteria, whereas planktonic status [43]. The plant derivatives can effect on
time-kill analyses advocate synergistic achievement in microbial biofilms [44]. Several studies described thymol
diverse combinations against both types of bacteria. and carvacrol inhibited growth of preformed biofilm and
Combinations of thymol and carvacrol with antibacterial interfered with biofilm formation during planktonic
(azithhromycin, clarithromycin, minocycline, and tige- growth [45,46]. Nostro et al. [46] reported carvacrol and
cycline) using checkerboard indicted achievement a thymol attenuated biofilm formation of S. aureus and
synergism in the great majority of cases [41]. Thymol and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains on polystyrene microtitre
carvacrol were found to be highly efficient in increasing plates and they suggested these oils repressed expansion of
Table 1. Results of varies study that assessed antimicrobial effects of thymol and carvacrol.
Thymol, carvacrol, Streptococcus mutans Use of eugenol and thymol or eugenol and carvacrol [31]
cinnamaldehyde, and ATCC25175 combinations would be suitable in the management of
eugenol alone or oral infections
combined
S. sanguis, S. mitis, and S. milleri
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius
ATCC 4956, Prevotella buccae,
P. oris, and P. intermedia
Cinnamaldehyde, S. typhimurium MIC of cinnamaldehyde, thymol, and carvacrol for [32]
thymol, and carvacrol S. typhimurium were 200, 400, and 400 mg/l,
alone or their respectively. By their paired combinations, MIC of
combinations cinnamaldehyde, thymol and carvacrol could be
decreased from 200, 400, and 400 mg/l to 100, 100, and
100 mg/l, respectively
Oregano oil, carvacrol, Methicillin-susceptible and All S. aureus and S. epidermidis strains reported susceptible [33]
and thymol methicillin-resistant to these compound with no significant difference
staphylococci (MSS and MRS) between MRS and MSS strains
Carvacrol and thymol E. coli Carvacrol and thymol could inhibit the growth of E. coli. [34]
The antibacterial property was related to their capacity to
permeabilize and depolarize the bacterial membrane
Lippia sidoides and Enterococcus faecalis Thymol kill microorganisms present in biofilms [35]
thymol
Thymol L. monocytogenes Thymol could potentially be applied to control L. [36]
monocytogenes biofilms in food processing
Carvacrol and thymol Shigella sonnei and S. flexneri Antibacterial effects of thymol and carvacrol against [37]
Sheigella spp.
Thymol C. albicans Thymol may be used as a potential antifungal therapy in the [38]
future
Carvacrol and thymol P. digitatum and P. italicum The application of these essential oils in the citrus packing [39]
lines could be considered as appropriate alternatives to
reduce the use of synthetic fungicides
Eugenol, carvacrol, Tetracycline-resistant S. Natural antimicrobials were able to significantly reduce the [24]
thymol and Typhimurium and E. coli, MIC of antibiotics in a different group of resistant bacteria
cinnamaldehyde penicillin-resistant S. aureus
and erythromycin-resistant S.
pyogenes
preformed biofilm and obstructed with the biofilm compounds such as b -glucan and inhibit the growth of
development during planktonic phase. El Abed et al. [47] cells [57,58]. The results of electron microscopy showed
also described anti-adherence and antibiofilm effects of that thymol and carvacrol change the morphogenesis of
terpenes and pointed out the excellent effectiveness of the envelope of C. albicans [58].
eugenol, carvone, and carveol, which could characterize
candidates in the management of P. aeruginosa biofilm. Carvacrol was also effective in reducing the growth of
Thymol can also prevent the first stages of biofilm Botrytis cinerea in berry and grapes; in grapes, 97%
formation and interfering with the formation of mature inhibition was related to the higher doses of carvacrol
biofilms as a result of the inhabitation of metabolic [59,60]. In addition to this, carvacrol was effective in
activity for biofilms. All of these events may lead to major reducing the spore germinates and mycelium growth of
membrane and blockage the production of viable B. cinerea inoculated in grapes [59].
filamentous forms during the early steps of biofilm
formation. As biofilms are multifactorial event, the several Other researchers showed the effect of monoterpenoid-
mechanisms of thymol (terpenes) perhaps effect on son the conidial germination and mycelial growth of B.
diverse stages in their development [48]. cinerea [61]. Also, Tsao and Zhou [61] reported that
0.25 mg/ml of thymol had an inhibitory effect on the
increase of mycelium of Monilinia fructicola, also on the
solid media, was 100% inhibited conidial germination of
Antifungal effect by thymol and carvacrol the bacteria.
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The authors declare no conflicts of interest. sential oils produced by aromatic plants and spices. J Agric
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