Investigating of Phytochemicals, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Proliferative Properties of Different Extracts of Thymus spathulifolius Hausskn. and Velen. Endemic Medicinal Plant from Sivas, Turkey

Thymus species has been used for antioxidant, antiseptic, antitussive, carminative, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities as well as tonic and herbal teas. The present study was conducted to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial and proliferative properties of ethanol crude extract and fractions of Thymus spathulifolius (Hausskn. and Velen.) herbes. The antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts and fractions of Thymus spathulifolius were investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing power, ferrous chelating activity, total flavonoid and total phenolic content analysis. Antimicrobial activity of the plant extracts were tested using the microdilution method, while proliferative activity were evaluated by MTT assay. Results showed that IC50 of T. spathulifolius extracts that scavenged 50% of the DPPH radical was found to be ranged from 62.39 to 1000 µg/mL. Hexane extract possessed moderate antimicrobial activity towards gram-positive bacteria of S. aureus and fungi of C. albicans. S. aureus was the most sensitive bacteria than other tested microorganisms. The hexane and water extracts exhibited a good proliferative activity with ED50 of 3.28 µg/mL and 2.77 µg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, together with the ability of proliferation, provide some support for the T.spathulifolius’s traditional use