Abstract
The present study focuses on the anti-inflammatory properties and on the cytotoxicity of the essential oil of Thymus zygis subsp. sylvestris (Hoffmanns. & Link) Cout. from Portugal. This taxon is widespread in the Iberian Peninsula and it is used in traditional medicine in the treatment of catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, bronchial catarrh, stomatitis and halitosis. The essential oil is used in cutaneous infections, rheumatic pain, rhinitis and sinusitis. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Major compounds were p-cymene (22.0%), thymol (19.2%), carvacrol (16.3%) and g-terpinene (7.4%). The peripheral and central anti-inflammatory potential of the oil was demonstrated by the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in both lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw 264.7 macrophages and BV2 microglia cells, respectively. Assessment of cell viability was made by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The oils significantly inhibited NO production in both cell lines, without affecting cell viability, at the concentration of 0.32µL/mL. These findings disclose safe bioactive concentrations of the oils that should be in depth investigated for putative application in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.
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