Phytochemical Composition, In Vitro Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Antibiofilm Activities of Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil From Tiaret, Algeria.

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-virulence potential of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TvEO), along with its antioxidant activity. GC-MS analysis identified 32 constituents, representing 97.83% of the total composition, with thymol as the predominant compound, accounting for more than 70%. The TvEO exhibited notable bactericidal activity against the tested bacterial strains, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.0078% to 0.03125% (v/v). Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) showed the highest sensitivity, with the lowest MIC value (0.0078%). Furthermore, TvEO reduced MRSA biofilm formation by more than 90% at the highest tested concentration (1% v/v) and decreased established biofilms by approximately 60%. Molecular docking analysis indicated that certain components of TvEO may interact with CrtM and SarA proteins, which are involved in S. aureus biofilm formation and virulence factor production. Moreover, TvEO demonstrated significant antioxidant potential according to DPPH and ABTS assays, with IC50 values of 8,81 ± 0,02 and 2,93 ± 0,08 mg/mL, respectively, comparable to ascorbic acid. Additionally, molecular docking revealed that caryophyllene and α-terpinene exhibited the strongest interactions with (PDB ID: 3QFT). These findings suggest that TEO represents a cost-effective natural source of antibacterial and antioxidant agents.