Evaluation of Biological Activity of Essential Oil from Teucrium polium L.

Background: Teucrium polium L. has an essential place in traditional medicine throughout the world. Their use, based on empirical knowledge passed down from generation to generation, has helped to treat a multitude of illnesses and relieve a variety of symptoms. These traditional practices have laid the foundations for modern research, which seeks to understand the significant antibacterial properties. The bioactive compounds present in the plant, such as essential oils and polyphenols, have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. This includes bacteria responsible for gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory infections. Methods: The focus of this study was the extraction of essential oils from the aerial portions of Teucrium polium L. via the hydrodistillation method, their anti-oxidant effect using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay method and iron reduction and antimicrobial activity of these essential oils was evaluated against seven ATCC bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC10428, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC29212, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC700603 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC7033. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by incorporation method. These tests were carried out at the Laboratoires de the analytical chemistry laboratory at the Department of Pharmacy, Badji Mokhtar University, Annaba, Algeria. Result: The hydro distillation method yielded an essential oil of 0.45%. Antimicrobial activity was tested by the sensitivity test, which revealed inhibition zone diameters ranging from 11.5 mm to £20 mm. In addition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined, showing variations between bacterial strains, suggesting potential therapeutic importance for some strains. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the essential oils was assessed using the iron-reducing capacity assay and the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Although the results indicated notable antioxidant potential, the IC50 values obtained were relatively high when compared to ascorbic acid, registering 107.38 mg/ml for iron reduction and 91.62 mg/ml for DPPH reduction. These findings contribute to the exploration of the therapeutic potential of Teucrium polium L. essential oils for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.