Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Thymus algeriensis Boiss & Reut. essential oil from Algeria

Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut., a species within the Lamiaceae family, is a plant native to Algeria, widely recognized and utilized for various purposes. The chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from T. algeriensis collected in the Batna province was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The extraction yielded 13.46 mL of essential oil per kilogram of dry plant material, with 14 components identified. The predominant constituents were L-camphor (approximately 53%), 1,8-cineole (27%), α-thujone (approximately 7%), and D-limonene (approximately 4%), the composition is revealed different from those documented in other studies. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assessed against two microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition was observed only with undiluted essential oil, indicating relatively low antimicrobial efficacy compared to other reported studies. This reduced activity is primarily attributed to the distinct chemical composition of the essential oil.