Unveiling the Multifaced Therapeutic Potential of Thymus vulgaris L. and its Phytochemical Analysis

The pharmaceutical properties and chemical constituents of Thymus vulgaris extract have attracted considerable interest from both researchers and the food industry. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of T. vulgaris extract, focusing on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities. In addition, we characterized its chemical composition and predicted the pharmacokinetic profile of its major compound, thymol, using ADMET analysis, to assess its potential as a natural therapeutic agent. Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic extract revealed high levels of phenolics (225 ± 1.42 mg GAE/g extract), tannins (20 ± 0.57 mg GAE/g extract), and flavonoids (25 ± 0.79 mg RE/g extract). GC–MS analysis identified thymol (28.23%) as the predominant active constituent.The methanolic extract of T. vulgaris demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 27 μg/mL (DPPH assay) and 35 μg/mL (ABTS assay). It also inhibited human erythrocyte hemolysis by 55.60%–74.81% at concentrations between 4 and 50 μg/mL.Furthermore, the extract significantly suppressed carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, producing 62.0% inhibition of α-glucosidase and 65.0% inhibition of α-amylase at 100 μg/mL. The extract exhibited notable antibacterial effects against several bacterial strains, with inhibition zones of 11 ± 0.45 mm to 14 ± 0.82 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 95 to 450 μg/mL. In addition, it showed potent antibiofilm activity, achieving complete inhibition (100%) at 120 μg/mL. ADMET predictions further confirmed that thymol possesses favorable pharmacokinetic properties.These findings highlight the significant therapeutic potential of T. vulgaris extract and suggest that it may serve as a promising natural alternative for managing chronic diseases and combating antibiotic-resistant pathogens.