Thymus catharinae Camarda essential oil: β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, evaluation of antimicrobial activity

An efficient antimicrobial activity was evidenced in a complex β-cyclodextrin-essential oil of Thymus catharinae Camarda (carvacrol chemotype). The release of carvacrol with respect to the antimicrobial activity was calculated as function of time. The βCD-complex of the bioactive agent was obtained by a simple, efficient and non-expensive method without purification of the carvacrol chemotype essential oil. According to the starting stoichiometry of β-cyclodextrin with respect to carvacrol, two inclusion complexes were produced, 1:1 and 2:1, respectively. The results demonstrate that, although the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of T. catharinae Camarda is remarkable but acts too quickly in some types of application, its inclusion in a bio-matrix allows a slower release and improves its effectiveness.