Orange thyme: Phytochemical profiling, in vitro bioactivities of extracts and potential health benefits

Amélia M. Silva; Luís M. Félix; Isabel Teixeira; Carlos Martins-Gomes; Judith Schäfer; Eliana B. Souto; Dario J. Santos; Mirko Bunzel; Fernando M. Nunes

Food Chemistry: X (Dec 2021)

Orange thyme: Phytochemical profiling, in vitro bioactivities of extracts and potential health benefits

Amélia M. Silva,
Luís M. Félix,
Isabel Teixeira,
Carlos Martins-Gomes,
Judith Schäfer,
Eliana B. Souto,
Dario J. Santos,
Mirko Bunzel,
Fernando M. Nunes

Affiliations

Amélia M. Silva: Department of Biology and Environment (DeBA-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Corresponding authors at: Department of Biology and Environment (DeBA-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal (A.M. Silva). Department of Chemistry (DQ-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD)', Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal (F.M. Nunes).
Luís M. Félix: Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Isabel Teixeira: Department of Biology and Environment (DeBA-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Carlos Martins-Gomes: Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Chemistry Research Center –Vila Real (CQ-VR), Food and Wine Chemistry Lab, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Judith Schäfer: Department of Food Chemistry and Phytochemistry – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Eliana B. Souto: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Dario J. Santos: Department of Biology and Environment (DeBA-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Mirko Bunzel: Department of Food Chemistry and Phytochemistry – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Fernando M. Nunes: Chemistry Research Center –Vila Real (CQ-VR), Food and Wine Chemistry Lab, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Department of Chemistry, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal Vila Real, Portugal; Corresponding authors at: Department of Biology and Environment (DeBA-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal (A.M. Silva). Department of Chemistry (DQ-ECVA), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD)', Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal (F.M. Nunes).

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12
p. 100171

Abstract

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Orange thyme (Thymus fragrantissimus) is becoming widely used in food as a condiment and herbal tea, nevertheless its chemical composition and potential bioactivities are largely unknown. Thus the objective of this work is to obtain a detailed phytochemical profile of T. fragrantissimus by exhaustive ethanolic extraction and by aqueous decoction mimicking its consumption. Extracts showed high content in rosmarinic acid, luteolin-O-hexuronide and eriodictyol-O-hexuronide; these were the main phenolic compounds present in orange thyme accounting for 85% of the total phenolic compounds. Orange thyme extracts presented high scavenging activity against nitric oxide and superoxide radicals. Both extracts presented significant inhibitory effect of tyrosinase activity and moderate anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. Both extracts showed a good in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and a weak anti-proliferative/cytotoxic activity against Caco-2 and HepG2 cell lines supporting its safe use. Orange thyme is a very good source of bioactive compounds with potential use in different food and nutraceutical industries.

Published in Food Chemistry: X

ISSN: 2590-1575 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply; Technology: Chemical technology: Food processing and manufacture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/food-chemistry-x

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