ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY, PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF Thymus algeriensis BOISS. AND REUT, Ammi visnaga (L.) LAM., AND Myrtus communis L. FROM MOROCCO

The aim of this study is to conduct an ethnobotanical survey, to determine chemical composition and to evaluate antibacterial activities of essential oils of Thymus algeriensis from Imouzzer, Ammi visnaga and Myrtus communis from Taounate (Morocco). The obtained yields of Essential oils from Thymus algeriensis, Ammi visnaga and Myrtus communis were respectively 2.25%, 0.61% and 0.47%.

Essential oil of T. algeriensis was dominated by carvacrol (34.34%), δ-3-carene (20.18%), γ-terpinolene (15.09%), cis-sabinene (10.35%), germacrene D (5.15%), camphene (4.14%) and α-pinene (2.98%). Terminalol (43.35%), linalool butyrate (37.86%), limonene (5.49%), isoamyl methyl-2-butyrate (5.12%) were the major constituents of the essential oil of Ammi visnaga, while the essential oil of M. communis was dominated by δ-carene (32.9%), α-pinene (23.92%), neryl butyrate (9.95%), linalyl acetate (9.38%), α-terpineol (4.71%), methyl eugenol (4.54%), 1,8-cineole (2.41%) and α-guaiene (2.22%).

The antimicrobial activity of these essential oils was evaluated against four bacterial strains; Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi.

Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were inhibited from the concentration of 0.7 µl with respective inhibition zones of 1.2; 2 and 1.7 mm.

The essential oil of Thymus algeriensis showed strong inhibitory activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, followed by Ammi visnaga and Myrtus communis respectively. This bioactivity is mainly due to the presence of linalool and its derivatives, known for their effectiveness against microbial agents.