BACKGROUND: Vibrio(V.) vulnificus is a halophilic, gram-negative bacillus that causes a fatal sepsis in patients with underlying chronic disease such as liver cirrhosis and alcoholic abuse. Because V. vulnificus infection has a fulminant course and high mortality rate, early recognition and rapid diagnosis with prompt therapy are necessary to improve survival rate. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a new selective medium for rapid identification of V. vulnificus through color change of medium according to pH from patients suspected of having V. vulnificus sepsis. METHODS: Rapid isolation and identification of V. vulnificus can be possible by modifying the component of PNC(5% peptone, 1% NaCl, and 0.08% cellobiose [pH 8.0]) broth medium. From this PNC broth, a basal broth(5% peptone+1% NaCl+cellobiose) was prepared and used to evaluate additional medium supplements(cellobiose concentration [0.08, 0.2, 0.1%], pH [6.8, 7.5, 8.0] and pH indicator dye [bromthymol blue, thymol blue, phenol red, bromcresol purple, crystal violet, cresol red, and neutral red]). To examine the rapid identification and selectivity of this basal medium according to various conditions, V. vulnificus was tested by using saline and normal human blood containing these bacteria(1, 000 bacteria/ml), respectively at 37degrees C. A positive reaction(V. vulnificus growth) appeared as color change. The selectivity and identification capacity of this new broth was tested by using other 6 Vibrio species and 14 strains of other bacteria. RESULTS: Color change appeared only in the medium including bromthymol blue and thymol blue as a pH indicator dye. It was called the basal medium containing blue dyes as PNCB(peptone, NaCl, cellobiose and blue dye) medium. It took an average time of 4.8hr for becoming aware of yellow color change in PNCB broth after cultivating with saline mixed with V. vulnificus and 6hr in PNCB broth after cultivating with blood mixed with V. vulnificus. One Vibrio species and another 3 bacteria produced color change. So we confirmed that the final composition and pH of PNCB broth medium was 5% peptone, 1% NaCl, 0.2% cellobiose, 0.0004% bromthymol blue and 0.0004% thymol blue [pH 7.5] CONCLUSIONS: PNCB broth could be used as a selective and differential medium for rapid isolation and identification of V. vulnificus in patients with V. vulnificus sepsis.
Alcoholics ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; Bromcresol Purple ; Bromthymol Blue ; Cellobiose ; Chronic Disease ; Coloring Agents ; Diagnosis ; Gentian Violet ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mortality ; Peptones ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Sepsis* ; Survival Rate ; Thymol ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio*

A simple and rapid method based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was developed for determination of trans-anethole content in fennel essential oil. Spectra of pure trans-anethole, of the pure essential oil of fennel, and of the pure oil of fennel with thymol internal standard were recorded. The signal of H-1/ was used for quantification of trans-anethole. This proton signal is well separated in the proton magnetic resonance spectrum of the compound. No reference compound is needed and cheap internal standard was used. The results obtained from spectroscopic analysis were compared with those obtained by gas chromatography. Additionally, the developed method was used for determination of the type of vegetable oil used as a carrier in commercial products, which cannot be quantified as such by gas chromatography. This study demonstrates the application of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a quality control method for estimation of essential oil components.
Chromatography, Gas ; Foeniculum* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Protons ; Quality Control ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Thymol ; Vegetables

BACKGROUND: Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is one of the intravenous anesthetic drugs used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia as well as for sedation in ICU patients and one-day surgery. The monitoring of propofol in blood helps to maintain anesthetic state and promote earlier recovery. So we attempted to find the rapid and simple method for blood propofol determination. METHODS: We compared the precipitation method with extraction one using whole blood, plasma and deionized water added a fixed amount of propofol. According to the extraction method, propofol was extracted from 500 microliter sample adding KH2PO4, ethyl acetate, and tetra-ethylammonium hydroxide using thymol as an internal standard. For the precipitation method, the precipitating solution (500 microliter) containing thymol was added to a 500 microliter sample, then mixed. After centrifugation, the supernatant was injected into HPLC system. A Waters 2690 separations module, Waters 474 fluorescence and 486 UV detector and a Symmetry column were used. We used Millennium software to control analyzing process and quantify propofol. RESULTS: The precipitation method using thymol as an internal standard and Waters 474 fluorescence detector showed the most excellent results. For the calibration curves, we found very good linearity in whole blood, plasma and deionized water (r> or =9976). Intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) values of propofol for the precipitation method were 4.4% and 8.9% at 2 microgram/mL of propofol and 2.0% and 6.2% at 8 microgram/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of propofol for plasma and whole blood were 104.1% and 92.7% at 2 microgram/mL and 99.4% and 91.6% at 7 microgram/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the measurement of the blood propofol level, the precipitation method using thymol as an internal standard and fluorescence detector seemed to be the rapid and simple method to apply for the clinical purpose.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics ; Calibration ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid* ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Plasma ; Propofol* ; Thymol ; Water

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.
Botrytis ; Fumigation* ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Methods ; Onions* ; Plants ; Sulfur ; Thymol* ; Vegetables

Blood pressures and heart rates were recorded with Twin-Viso (Sanborn, USA) for comparative estimations of cardiovascular responses by injection of intravenous anesthetic agents-2.5% solution of Pentothal Sodium (Abbott Laboratory, USA) and Thiotal (Samsung Pharmaceutical Co., ROK) mongrel dogs. Dogs were evaluated the hepatic function by biochemical studies of blood such as total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, thymol turbidity test, alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGOT). Liver biopsies were performed in dogs for identifications of hepatic darnages by injection of the above barbiturates, The following results were observed: 1) It was observed the remarkable negative inotropic effect in myocardium of the mongrel dogs intravenously injected with 20 mg/kg of the above barbiturates for three minutes (Table 7, Fig. 8) 2) It was noted slight negative inotropic effect in mongrel dogs intravenously injected with 10 mg/ kg of the above barbiturates for thirty seconds (Table 8, Fig. 8). 3) It was more shorter recovery time from negative inotropic effects in mongrel dogs injected with Thiotal than in the dogs injected with Pentothal Sodium. 4) It was noted no significant changes in pathological studies of Hematoxylin-Eosin stained liver specimen and liver function studies of the blood by biochemical analysis in mongrel dogs intravenously injected everyday with 10 mg/kg of the above barbiturates. 5) It was noted slight changes in mongrel dogs injected with 20 mg/kg of the above barbiturates on TTT, Alkaline Phosphatase, SGOT and SGPT as biochemical analysis in comparing with controI values. These values, however, were not concided with the pathological findings of HematoxyIin-Eosin stained liver biopsy specimen. The facts explain to be inquired into further investigations in the pathological and biochemical aspect.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Barbiturates ; Bilirubin ; Biopsy ; Dogs ; Heart Rate ; Liver ; Myocardium ; Sodium ; Thiopental* ; Thymol

OBJECTIVETo establish a quantitative method of determination of carvacrol and thymol in Mosla chinensis.

METHODThe sample was extracted with 95% ethanol, ODS column was used with methanol-water-acetic acid (60:40:2) as mobile phase. The detection wavelength was set at 274 nm.

RESULTThe linearities of carvacrol and thymol were respectively in the range of 0.23-2.15 microg (r = 0.9999) and 0.39-2.36 microg (r = 0.9999); the average recoveries were 99.9% (RSD 1.4%) and 98.6% (RSD 1.3%); the RSD of repeatability were 1.1% and 1.6%.

CONCLUSIONThe method is reliable, and can be used for quality control of M. chinensis.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Monoterpenes ; analysis ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Thymol ; analysis

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 0degrees 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 microg/mL) and linalool (120 microg/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 microg/mL thymol in several table grape cultivars, such as Campbell early, Muscat Bailey A, Sheridan, and Geobong. In this study, fumigation with 30 microg/mL thymol, had no influence on the sugar content and hardness of grapes, but reduced fungal infection significantly. This suggests that 30 microg/mL thymol could be utilized to reduce deterioration of grapes due to gray mold and other fungal infections during long-term storage.
Aspergillus ; Botrytis ; Citrus sinensis ; Fruit ; Fumigation* ; Fungi ; Germination ; Hardness ; Korea ; Oils, Volatile ; Oman ; Penicillium ; Plants ; Spores, Fungal ; Thymol* ; Vitis*

Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are difficult to treat not only because it is often associated with multidrug-resistant infections but also it is able to form biofilm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiofilm and anti-Quorum Sensing (QS) activities of Thymbra capitata essential oils (EOs) against Beta Lactamase (BL) producing P. aeruginosa and the reference strain P. aeruginosa 10145. GC/MS analysis showed that thymol (23.25%) is the most dominant compound in T. capitata EOs. The MICs of T. capitata EOs against P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145 were 1.11%. At sub MIC (0.041, 0.014 and 0.0046%), the EOs of T. capitata remarkably inhibited the biofilm formation of both strains tested and complete inhibition of the biofilm formation was reported at 0.041%. The EOs of T. capitata were found to inhibit the swarming motility, aggregation ability and hydrophobic ability of P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145. Interestingly, the EOs of T. capitata reduce the production of three secreted virulence factors that regulated by QS system including pyocyanin, rhamnolipids and LasA protease. The potent antibiofilm and anti-QS activities of T. capitata EOs can propose it as a new antibacterial agent to control pseudomonas infections.
beta-Lactamases ; Biofilms ; Oils, Volatile ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Pseudomonas Infections ; Pseudomonas ; Pyocyanine ; Quorum Sensing ; Thymol ; Virulence Factors ; Virulence

Thymus daenensis Celak. is an herb endemic to Iran belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Growing in many parts of Iran, the plant is extensively used in folk medicine. This review was performed to compile phytochemical and pharmacological data of T. daenensis. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scientific Information Database, Embase, IranMedex and Google Scholar were searched for the terms "Thymus daenensis" and "Avishan-e-denaii" up to 1st January 2014. Following reported ethnopharmacological uses, various T. daenensis preparations have been investigated for antimicrobial, antioxidant, insecticidal and immunomodulatory effects in recent studies. Moreover, numerous studies have been published on the composition of the herb's essential oil, focusing either on environmental parameters or preparation methods. Due to its high concentration of thymol, the plant's essential oil possesses high antimicrobial activities on human pathogenic strains. However, comprehensive studies on the toxicity and teratogenicity as well as clinical efficacy of Thymus daenensis are missing.
Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Ethnopharmacology ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Preparations ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Structures ; Plants, Medicinal ; Thymol ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Thymus Plant ; chemistry ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the cytotoxicity of four different root canal sealers i.e. Apexit Plus (Ivoclar Vivadent), Endomethasone N (Septodont), AH-26 (Dentsply) and Pulpdent Root Canal Sealer (Pulpdent), on a mouse fibroblast cell line (L929). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty two discs for each sealer (5 mm in diameter and 2 mm in height) were fabricated in Teflon mould. The sealer extraction was made in cell culture medium (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium, DMEM) using the ratio 1.25 cm2/mL between the surface of the sealer samples and the volume of medium in a shaker incubator. Extraction of each sealer was obtained at 24 hr, 7th day, 14th day, and one month of interval. These extracts were incubated with L929 cell line and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was done. Two-way ANOVA for interaction effects between sealer and time and Post-hoc multiple comparison using Tukey's test across all the 16 different groups were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Apexit Plus root canal sealer was significantly less toxic than other sealers (p < 0.05) and showed higher cellular growth than control. Endomethasone N showed mild cytotoxicity. AH-26 showed severe toxicity which became mild after one month while Pulpdent Root Canal Sealer showed severe to moderate toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Apexit Plus was relatively biocompatible sealer as compared to other three sealers which were cytotoxic at their initial stages, however, they became biocompatible with time.
Animals ; Bismuth ; Calcium Hydroxide ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Dental Pulp Cavity* ; Dexamethasone ; Drug Combinations ; Epoxy Resins ; Fibroblasts ; Formaldehyde ; Hydrocortisone ; Incubators ; Mice ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Root Canal Filling Materials ; Silver ; Thymol ; Titanium