• 대한본초학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.19-25
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• 2019

Objectives : Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol), a natural monoterpenoid phenol, is one of the major odorant constituents found in natural essential oils of various herbal plants, such as Thymus quinquecostatus and Thymus vulgaris. Multiple biological activities of thymol, including antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects, have been reported in numerous in vitro studies, and recently it was suggested that thymol may could inhibit oxidization of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) to dopaquinone required in melanogenesis pathway, as an antioxidant. Methods : MTT assay was performed to test the cytotoxic effect of thymol in B16F10 cells. Inhibitory effect of thymol to tyrosinase activities were examined using both mushroom tyrosinase and intracellular tyrosinase. Expression level of tyrosinase in B16F10 cells were investigated by western blot analysis. Results : The cell viability was decreased by thymol treatment in dose-dependant manner, leading significant cytotoxicity in 500 and $1000{\mu}M$ thymol-treated groups. In the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH)-induced melanogenesis, administration of thymol significantly decreased extracellular (secreted) melanin content in dose-dependent manner. Cellular tyrosinase activity assay and western blot analysis of intracellular tyrosinase showed that thymol has a strong anti-melanogenic effect by inhibition of tyrosinase activity and by decreasing expression of tyrosinase that contribute to melanin synthesis in the B1610 cells. Conclusions : As the first functional study that prove anti-melanogenic effect of thymol and its underlying mechanism in the living cells, our study suggests the applicability of fragrance as the functional materials of cosmetics or health supplement, not as just an additive.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2023

Fungal keratitis is a refractory kind of keratopathy. We attempted to investigate the antiinflammatory role of thymol on Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis. Wound healing and fluorescein staining of the cornea were applied to verify thymol's safety. Mice models of A. fumigatus keratitis underwent subconjunctival injection of thymol. The anti-inflammatory roles of thymol were verified by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, slit lamp observation, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. In contrast with the DMSO group, more transparent corneas and less inflammatory cells infiltration were detected in mice treated with 50 ㎍/ml thymol. Thymol downregulated the synthesis of TLR4, MyD88, NF-kB, IL-1β, NLRP3, caspase 1, caspase 8, GSDMD, RIPK3 and MLKL. In summary, we proved that thymol played a protective part in A. fumigatus keratitis by cutting down inflammatory cells aggregation, downregulating the TLR4/ MyD88/ NF-kB/ IL-1β signal expression and reducing necroptosis and pyroptosis.

• 농약과학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.201-209
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• 2006

43종의 식물오일들을 대상으로 잿빛곰팡이병균 (Botrytis cinerea) 외 9종의 식물병원균에 대한 살균 효과로 이들의 생리활성 검증을 실시하였다. 이 중 thyme 오일이 잿빛곰팡이병균(Botrytis cinerea), 잎집무늬 마름병균(Rhizoctonia solani), 고추역병균(Phytophthora capsici), 고추탄저병균(Glomerella cingulate), 사과점무늬 낙엽병균(Alternaria mali)과 벼도열병균(Magnaporthe grisea)에서 광범위하게 살균효과를 나타내었다. Thyme 오일의 주성분을 GC/MS로 분석한 결과 thymol, carvacrol, borneol, linalool과 p-cymene임을 확인하였다. 이 중 thymol과 carvacrol이 높은 살균활성을 나타내었다. 한편, 식물병원균에 대한 살균활성관련 작용기작을 실험한 결과, 잿빛곰팡이병균(Botrytis cinerea), 잎집무늬마름병균(Rhizoctonia solani)과 사과점무늬낙엽병균(Alternaria mali)의 포자발아를 억제하는 것으로 나타났다. Thymol과 carvacrol은 in vivo에서 잿빛곰팡이병균(Botrytis cinerea)과 잎집무늬마름병균(Rhizoctonia solani)에 대하여 높은 예방효과를 나타내었으며, thymol, carvacrol의 유사구조를 갖는 alkylphenol계 화합물들도 살균활성이 있음을 검정하였다.

• Mycobiology
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.475-486
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• 2022

The antifungal activity of thymol against Aspergillus awamori F23 and Botrytis aclada F15 in onions was examined through direct treatment with amended media and gaseous treatment with I-plates (plastic plates containing central partitions). The protective and curative control efficacy of thymol was examined 24 h before and after the inoculation of onion bulbs with the fungal isolates. Mycelial growth, sporulation, and spore germination of the isolates were inhibited on potato dextrose agar amended with various concentrations of thymol or acetic acid (positive control). Overall, thymol produced a stronger inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth and development of the isolates than acetic acid. Following gaseous treatment in I-plates, mycelial growth, sporulation, and spore germination of the isolates were inhibited at higher concentrations of thymol or acetic acid; however, acetic acid showed a little effect on the sporulation and spore germination of the isolates. Following the treatment of onion bulbs with 1000 mg L^-1 of thymol 24 h before and after fungal inoculation, lesion diameter was greatly reduced compared with that following treatment with 0.5% ethanol (solvent control). Onion bulbs sprayed with thymol 24 h before fungal inoculation generally showed reduced lesion diameters by isolate F23 but not in isolate F15 compared with those sprayed 24 h after fungal inoculation. Collectively, thymol effectively inhibited the growth and development of A. awamori and B. aclada on amended media and in I-plates. In addition, spraying or fumigation of thymol is more desirable for effectively controlling these postharvest fungal pathogens during long-term storage conditions.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.321-323
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• 2006

A combination of thymol and sodium bisulfate was found to be an effective biocidal agent against strains of Burkholderia cepacia and of Xanthomonas maltophilia that were found in the space shuttle water system. Potassium iodide (KI), the biocidal agent used in the past, had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50,000 ppm against the two B. cepacia (541 STS-81 and 1119 STS-91) strains, whereas that of thymol and sodium bisulfate was 2,400 and 950 ppm, which was 21 and 53 times lower than that of KI for B. cepacia, respectively. The MIC value for the combination of thymol and sodium bisulfate was 4 times lower than that for thymol or sodium bisulfate alone against B. cepacia (541 STS-81, 1119 STS-91) or Pseudomonas cepacia (ATCC 31941). The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of the combination of thymol and sodium bisulfate for all organisms tested was less than 0.5, indicating a strong synergistic effect.

• Mycobiology
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.242-253
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• 2018

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the major vegetable crops in Korea that are damaged and lost by pathogenic fungal infection during storage due to a lack of proper storage conditions. The aim of this study was to determine an appropriate control measure using thymol to increase the shelf life of onions. To control fungal infections that occur during low-temperature storage, it is necessary to identify the predominant fungal pathogens that appear in low-temperature storage houses. Botrytis aclada was found to be the most predominant fungal pathogen during low-temperature storage. The antifungal activity of the plant essential oil thymol was tested and compared to that of the existing sulfur treatments. B. aclada growth was significantly inhibited up to 16 weeks with spray treatments using a thymol solution. To identify an appropriate method for treating onions in a low-temperature storage house, thymol was delivered by two fumigation treatment methods, either by heating it in the granule form or as a solution at low-temperature storage conditions (in vivo). We confirmed that the disease severity was reduced up to 96% by fumigating thymol solution compared to the untreated control. The efficacy of the fumigation of thymol solution was validated by testing onions in a low-temperature storage house in Muan, Jeollanam-do. Based on these results, the present study suggests that fumigation of the thymol solution as a natural preservative and fungicide can be used as an eco-friendly substitute for existing methods to control postharvest disease in long-term storage crops on a commercial scale.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.28-37
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• 2016

Numerous plants have been documented to contain phenolic compounds. Thymol is one among these phenolic compounds that possess a repertoire of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial effects. Despite of the plethora of affects elicited by thymol, its activity profile on gastric cancer cells is not explored. In this study, we discovered that thymol exerts anticancer effects by suppressing cell growth, inducing apoptosis, producing intracellular reactive oxygen species, depolarizing mitochondrial membrane potential, and activating the proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins Bax, cysteine aspartases (caspases), and poly ADP ribose polymerase in human gastric AGS cells. The outcomes of this study displayed that thymol, via an intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, was responsible for inducing apoptosis in gastric AGS cells. Hence, thymol might serve as a tentative agent in the future to treat cancer.

• Mycobiology
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.262-268
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• 2014

Several postharvest diseases of table grapes (Vitis vinifera) occur during storage, and gray mold rot is a particularly severe disease because the causal agent, Botrytis cinerea, grows at temperatures as low as $0^{\circ}C$. Other postharvest diseases, such as those caused by Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp., also often lead to deterioration in the quality of table grapes after harvest. The use of plant essential oils such as thymol and linalool, to reduce postharvest diseases in several kinds of fruits, including table grapes and oranges, has received much attention in European countries. However, to the best of our knowledge there has been no report of the use of thymol fumigation to control gray mold in table grapes in Korea. Thymol ($30{\mu}g/mL$) and linalool ($120{\mu}g/mL$) significantly inhibited mycelial growth and conidia germination of B. cinerea. The occurrence rate of gray mold rot of B. cinerea and other unknown fungi was significantly reduced by fumigation with $30{\mu}g/mL$ thymol in several table grape cultivars, such as Campbell early, Muscat Bailey A, Sheridan, and Geobong. In this study, fumigation with $30{\mu}g/mL$ thymol, had no influence on the sugar content and hardness of grapes, but reduced fungal infection significantly. This suggests that $30{\mu}g/mL$ thymol could be utilized to reduce deterioration of grapes due to gray mold and other fungal infections during long-term storage.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.511-520
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of increased levels of eugenol, thymol and malate on pH and the concentrations of VFA, lactate and ammonia-N during in vitro ruminal incubation. One Hanwoo beef steer (741 kg) fitted with a rumen cannula was used and fed 0.5 kg/day rice straw and 10 kg/day corn-based concentrate (ratio of concentrate to rice straw = 95 : 5 on DM basis). Three different doses of thymol, eugenol and malate were used. Treatments of the experiment were as follows: Treatments of thymol were control (1g D-glucose/40ml), T1 (1g D-glucose + 40 mg thymol/40 ml), T2 (1g D-glucose + 50 mg thymol/40 ml) and T3 (1g D-glucose + 60 mg thymol/40 ml). Treatments of eugenol were control (1g D-glucose/40 ml), E1 (1g D-glucose + 55 mg eugenol/40 ml), E2 (1g D-glucose + 65 mg eugenol/40 ml) and E3 (1g D-glucose + 75 mg eugenol/40 ml). Treatments of malate were control (1g D-glucose/40ml), M1 (1g D-glucose + 25 mg malate/40ml), M2 (1g D-glucose + 50 mg malate/40 ml) and M3 (1g D-glucose + 100 mg malate/40 ml). The results of this study showed that eugenol and thymol have improved stability of the ruminal fermentation by decreasing lactic acid concentration and increasing ruminal pH. However, it inhibited the production of total VFA, acetate and propionate. Malate also improved stability of the ruminal fermentation by decreasing lactic acid concentration and increasing ruminal pH, but it had a very little effect on ruminal lactate concentrations and pH. On the other hand, malate did not decrease the concentrations of total VFA, acetate and propionate. Therefore, at the low ruminal pH expected in high-concentrate diets, thymol, eugenol, and malate are potentially useful in Hanwoo finishing diets. Further studies are necessary for determining the effectiveness of these additives on in vivo rumen fermentation and animal performance in Hanwoo finishing steers.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.363-370
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• 2017

본 실험에서는 냉동 새우(Litopenaeus vannamei)를 $4^{\circ}C$에서 12일동안 저온 저장하며, 키토산 코팅과 천연보존제의 병행처리(0.05% carvacrol, 0.05% thymol)가 미생물(중온균, 저온균, Pseudomonas spp., $H_2S$ 생성균)의 성장과 새우의 이화학적 특징(총 휘발성 질소화합물, pH) 및 관능적 품질(외관, 냄새, 전반적 수용도)에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 키토산 코팅과 carvacrol 병행 처리, 키토산 코팅과 thymol 병행 처리는 모든 대상 미생물의 성장을 억제하였고 특히 중온균, 저온균, $H_2S$ 생성균의 경우 실험의 마지막 날인 12일째까지 유의적인 항균효과(p < 0.05)를 보였다. 이 처리구들은 총 휘발성 질소화합물과 관능적 특성(외관, 냄새, 전반적 수용도)에서도 12일째까지 유의적인 차이(p < 0.05)를 보였으나 pH에서는 유의적 차이가 없었다. 따라서 키토산 코팅과 carvacrol 병행 처리, 키토산 코팅과 thymol 병행 처리는 새우의 주요 부패 미생물의 성장을 효과적으로 억제하는 것으로 보이며 냉장 새우의 유통기간 연장에 활용할 수 있을 것으로 보여진다.