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TIP. Revista especializada en ciencias químico-biológicas
Print version ISSN 1405-888X
TIP vol.9 n.2 Ciudad de México Dec. 2006
Artículos originales
Effect of the essential oil, infusion and ethanol extract of Thymus vulgaris L, on the growth in vitro of group a β-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes
Efecto del aceite esencial, extractos acuoso y etanólico de Thymus vulgaris L., sobre el crecimiento in vitro de Streptococcus pyogenes β-hemolítico del grupo A
1Herbario FEZA, Carrera de Biólogo, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM. Apdo. Postal 9-020, Iztapalapa 09230, México, D. F.
2Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. Av. Cuauhtemoc 330, México, D. F.
Biological activity of the distilled essential oil, ethanol extract, and infusion of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) was evaluated on the growth of group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes, the primary cause of faryngoamygdalitis. Sensitivity tests and measurements the zones of inhibition in vitro was performed. The distilled essential oil showed the greatest effect (inhibition halo of 3.2 cm), superior even to penicillin (2.4 cm). The ethanol extract had less effect, and the infusion showed no effect. The essential oil and the ethanol extract were analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the concentration and purity of their principal components and to compare these to the commercially available pure essential oil of thyme. These analyses allowed us to establish the presence of thymol and to a lesser extent carvacrol, both of which are known to inhibit bacterial growth.
Key Words: Antimicrobial; faryngoamygdalitis; Streptococcus; Thymus vulgaris
Se estimó un tratamiento alternativo de bajo costo para conocer la efectividad del tomillo Thymus vulgaris L, sobre la faringoamigdalitis bacteriana. Al aceite esencial obtenido por destilación, extracto etanólico e infusión de tomillo; se les evaluó su actividad biológica sobre el crecimiento de Streptococcus pyogenes ß-hemohtico del grupo A de Lancefield, principal causante de la faringoamigdalitis. Se realizaron pruebas de sensibilidad y se midieron las zonas de inhibición in vitro. El aceite esencial destilado, registró el mayor halo de inhibición (3.2 cm), incluso superó a la penicilina (2.4 cm). Con el extracto etanólico la inhibición fue menor y con la infusión no hubo inhibición. El aceite esencial y el extracto etanólico fueron analizados por medio de cromatografía en capa fina y cromatografía de gases para determinar su concentración y pureza en comparación con el aceite escenciai puro de tomillo, obteniéndose la presencia de timol y en menor grado carvacrol, agentes activos que producen inhibición en el crecimiento bacteriano.
Palabras Clave: Antimicrobiano; Faringoamigdalitis; Streptococcus; Thymus vulgaris
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Received: September 20, 2006; Accepted: November 27, 2006
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
