Comparitive phytochemical Analysis and Resilience Pattern Exhibited by thyme and tea tree oil against Selected Poultry Isolates

Abstract

The volatile oils of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) and Thymus vulgaris (thyme), of the family Myrtaceae and Lamiaceae respectively, were asessed for antibacterial activity against different avian pathogens isolated from infected chickens which involved Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, S.epidermidis, S. carnosus and Salmonella gallinarum. The antimicrobial activity of both the oils was assessed by using disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as well as minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) method. Thyme oil exhibited higher activity than tea tree oil against all the pathogens. Mean inhibition zones, MIC and MBC values of bacterial strains varied from 19 and 34 mm, 0.03%-0.15% to 0.07-0.3% respectively. GC-MS analysis of essential oil of thyme showed the presence of 13 components. The major components were carvacrol, thymol, terpinene-4-ol, α-Terpinene, carvacrol methyl ether. Tea tree oil showed the presence of 16 components upon GC-MS analysis. The major compounds were Limonene, γ-Terpinene, α-Terpinene, Cineol and α-Terpinolene. Since aromatic and medicinal plants produce a wide variety of volatile terpenes, hydrocarbons (aliphatic and cyclic) and their corresponding oxygenated isoprenoid derivatives and analogues, the bactericidal effect observed in this study may be attributed to these components. Therefore, these oils could be a source of pharmaceutical materials required for the preparation of new therapeutic and antimicrobial agents.