Thymol Chemotype Origanum vulgare L. Essential Oil as a Potential Selective Bio-Based Herbicide on Monocot Plant Species

Abstract

Searching for new bio-based herbicides is crucial for decreasing chemical pollution, protecting the environment, and sustaining biodiversity. Origanum vulgare is considered a promising source of essential oil with herbicidal effect. The mode of action is not known. The present study focused on (1) comparison of phytotoxic activity of Origanum vulgare EO on monocot (Triticum aestivum and Hordeum vulgare) and dicot species (Lepidium sativum and Sinapis alba); (2) and evaluating other antimicrobial biological activities against phytopatogen bacteria (Clavibacter michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola, Pseudomonas savastanoi, and Xanthomonas campestris); antifungal activity against Monilinia fructicola, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium expansum, and Botrytis cinerea; cytotoxic activity and antioxidant activity. According to the GC/MS analyses, the EO belongs to the thymol chemotype O. vulgare with its high content of thymol (76%). Germination of all four species was not influenced by EO. The phytotoxic effect was statistically significant in the monocot species, while in the dicot species the opposite was observed—a stimulation effect, which was also statistically significant. Strong biological activity of O. vulgare EO was noted on all phytopatogen bacteria and fungi in the highest dose. Cytotoxic activity showed an IC50 = 50.5 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity showed an IC50 = 106.6 μg/mL after 45 min experimental time. Based on the presented results, it is possible to conclude that thymol chemotype O. vulgare essential oil could be potentially used as a herbicide with selective effects on monocot plant species.

Study of Bio-Pharmaceutical and Antimicrobial Properties of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Leathery Exocarp Extract

“…The possible mechanism of the antimicrobial effects is correlated to the chemical structure of the phenolic compounds. Their lipophilic nature enables them to penetrate easily into the pathogen cell membrane and also to interfere with enzymes responsible for energy and protein production in the microorganism’s cells, hence causing cell death [ 38 ]; instead the antimicrobial activity of the polysaccharides might be related to their chemical structure and ester sulfate groups [ 39 ].…”

Phytochemical constituents, biological activities, and health‐promoting effects of the genusOriganum

“…Indeed, a number of thymol chemotypes of O . vulgare demonstrated high thymol content (76%) in their essential oil owing to which, these were proposed as effective herbicide on certain monocots (Gruľová et al, 2020). Origanum vulgare essential oil was found to modulate protein regulation and DNA synthesis in Salmonella as a complex antibacterial.…”

Chemical Profiles, Anticancer, and Anti-Aging Activities of Essential Oils of Pluchea dioscoridis (L.) DC. and Erigeron bonariensis L.

“…Natural products derived from the plant kingdom represented potent resources for foods, cosmetics, and traditional medicines [ 1 , 2 ]. Many scientists focused on the study of the chemical characterization of essential oils (EOs) along with their pharmaceutical effects for many decades [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Due to the complicated composition from different isoprenoids based compounds [ 7 ], EOs exhibited several significant biological effects including anti-inflammatory, antipyretic [ 8 ], antioxidant [ 9 , 10 ], allelopathy [ 8 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ], antiulcer [ 18 ], antimicrobial [ 8 , 19 ], and hepatoprotective [ 20 ].…”