Phytochemical and microbiological characterization of essential oils from Lamiaceae family: Majorana, thyme and lavender

^{1, 3} University of Food Technologies, Department of Tourism and Culinary Management, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
² Agrobioinstitute University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria
⁴ University of Food Technologies, Department of Technology of Milk and Dairy Products, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
⁵ Department of Food Preservation and Refrigeration Technology, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties of essential oils of marjoram (Majorana hortensis L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) were evaluated in the present study. In the composition of marjoram oil, 23 components were identified, the main ones of which were: terpinen-4-ol (28.33%), γ-terpinene (14.58%), cis-β-terpineol (13.29%); in thyme oil, 11 components, the main ones were p-cymene (42.90%), thymol (41.88%), β-linalool (5.48%), and in lavender oil, 27 components, the main ones were linalyl acetate (39.29%), β-linalool (34.53%), terpinen-4-ol (5.48%). The three oils exhibited high antioxidant activity, the highest being recorded by the ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP method). All three oils exhibit antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, B. subtilis, B. cereus, E. coli, S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar abony, with inhibition zones at different concentrations within 2.0-20 mm.