PMID- 16289146 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20060223 LR - 20061115 IS - 0031-9422 (Print) IS - 0031-9422 (Linking) VI - 66 IP - 24 DP - 2005 Dec TI - Chemoprevention by thyme oils of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxin production. PG - 2851-6 AB - The essential oils from Thymus eriocalyx and Thymus X-porlock obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC/MS. The major components of T. eriocalyx and T. X-porlock oils were thymol (63.8, 31.7%), beta-phellandrene (13.30, 38.7%), cis-sabinene hydroxide (8.1, 9.6%), 1,8-cineole (2, 1.7%), and beta-pinene (1.31, 2%), respectively. Antifungal activities of the oils were studied with special reference to the inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxin production. Minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal fungicidal (MFC) concentrations of the oils were determined. Static effects of the above oils against A. parasiticus were at 250 ppm and lethal effects of T. eriocalyx and T. X-porlock were 500 and 1000 ppm of the oils, respectively. Aflatoxin production was inhibited at 250 ppm of both oils with that of T. eriocalyx being stronger inhibitor. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of A. parasiticus exposed to MIC level (250 ppm) of the oils showed irreversible damage to cell wall, cell membrane, and cellular organelles. It is concluded that the essential oils could be safely used as preservative materials on some kinds of foods at low concentrations to protect them from fungal infections. FAU - Rasooli, Iraj AU - Rasooli I AD - Department of Biology, Shahed University, P.O. Box 18151-159, Tehran-Qom Highway, Tehran, Tehran, Iran. rasooli@shahed.ac.ir FAU - Owlia, Parviz AU - Owlia P LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20051109 PL - England TA - Phytochemistry JT - Phytochemistry JID - 0151434 RN - 0 (Aflatoxins) RN - 0 (Antifungal Agents) RN - 0 (Plant Oils) SB - IM MH - Aflatoxins/*biosynthesis MH - Antifungal Agents/*pharmacology MH - Aspergillus/*drug effects/growth & development/metabolism/ultrastructure MH - Microbial Sensitivity Tests MH - Microscopy, Electron, Transmission MH - Plant Oils/chemistry/*pharmacology MH - Thymus Plant/*chemistry EDAT- 2005/11/18 09:00 MHDA- 2006/02/24 09:00 CRDT- 2005/11/18 09:00 PHST- 2005/06/13 00:00 [received] PHST- 2005/09/22 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2005/09/27 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2005/11/18 09:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2006/02/24 09:00 [medline] PHST- 2005/11/18 09:00 [entrez] AID - S0031-9422(05)00498-X [pii] AID - 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.029 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Phytochemistry. 2005 Dec;66(24):2851-6. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.029. Epub 2005 Nov 9.