Chemical composition of essential oil of Thymus vulgaris collected from Saudi Arabian market

Abstract

Objective To focus on the analysis of chemical constituents of the Thymus vulgaris L. (locally known as “Zaitra” or “Za'atar”; Family: Lamiaceae) which is available in the market of Saudi Arabia. Methods The Zaitra oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mass spectra were compared with the standard spectra available in National Institute Standard and Technique library. Results The results indicated that the Thymus oil is composed of many chemical compounds including α pinene, thymol and caryophyllene which are biologically active and also used in various diseases. Conclusions It can be concluded that the Thymus vulgaris due to presence of many bioactive compounds can be used as a new potential source of medicine for the treatment of various types of illness.