Abstract

The essential oil of Thymus vulgaris has been the subject of extensive studies anddeveloping formulations for the placement of essential oils is not an easy task due especiallyto it high volatility and low stability. The aims of this work were to study of the composition ofT. vulgaris essential oil, development of topic formulations and evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis andPseudomonas aeruginosa. The composition of the oil was analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Microbiological disk diffusion and microdilution tests were carried out to determine the minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations. The substance was added to a cream gel formulation which underwent thermal stability, physical and chemical-physical tests (in addition to a drop test) to verify if the antimicrobial effects remained unchanged. The most abundant compounds were geraniol, thymol, gama-terpinene, para-cymene, citral, 3-octanone, and 3-octenol. The essential oil in formulation had similar antimicrobial effects in comparison to the essential oil itself; the formulation was partially stable during the study period. Formulations with T. vulgarisessential oil effectively inhibited microbial growth. The results show a reasonable stability of the formulation. The topical use of essential oil from thyme is a promising alternative for cosmetic and phytotherapeutic use.

Key words: Antimicrobial, drip, essential oil, phytocosmetic, Thymus vulgaris.