The essential oil of the protected species: Thymus praecox ssp. penyalarensis

José Blanco Salas,Trinidad Ruiz Téllez,Francisco María Vázquez Pardo,María Ángeles Cases Capdevila,María José Pérez-Alonso

doi:10.5586/asbp.2012.003

Abstract

The essential oil of a protected Spanish species, Thymus praecox ssp. penyalarensis, was firstly analyzed [Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)] from wild populations during the phenological stages of flowering and fruiting. In flowering, the yield was 1.2%, and the major components were identified as thymol (18.5%), p-cymene (14.6%), carvacrol (11.6%), and γ-terpinene (10.1%). In fruiting, the yield was 0.9% and the major components resulted to be p-cymene (19.0%), carvacrol (16.5%), and borneol (10.5%). An experimental cultivation of the taxa was made also in order to analyze its essential oil as well. The yield was 1.3%, and the main compounds were thymol (19.1%), p-cymene (17.0%), and γ-terpinene (12.3%). Finally, the composition of the essential oil of this plant is discussed in relation to chemotaxonomic and biogeographical aspects.

Highlights

Material and methodsMost works that have dealt with the chemical composition of essential oils of plants of the genus Thymus (Lamiaceae) have been centred on Thymus vulgaris L., because of its extensive use in many countries as an aromatic and medicinal plant due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity [1,2,3]
Many of the components of the thymes essential oils have very interesting biological activities, as is the case of those we found in the greatest proportions in the plant of the present study
Due to the chemical composition of this plant, that makes it a potential source of interesting products, and for its threatened species character, we considered prioritary its domestication

Summary

Introduction

Material and methodsMost works that have dealt with the chemical composition of essential oils of plants of the genus Thymus (Lamiaceae) have been centred on Thymus vulgaris L., because of its extensive use in many countries as an aromatic and medicinal plant due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity [1,2,3]. The essential oil of a protected Spanish species, Thymus praecox ssp. Penyalarensis, was firstly analyzed [Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrometry (GC-MS)] from wild populations during the phenological stages of flowering and fruiting.

Results

Conclusion