Extracts and constituents of Thymus satureioides Coss. leaves as topical anti-inflammatory agents

Four extracts at increasing polarity were prepared from the leaves of Thymus satureioides Coss. (Labiatae) and assayed for the in vivo topical anti-inflammatory effect using the croton oil ear test in mice, and for in vitro both antioxidant (DPPH. test) and anti-bacterial (broth microdilution method) activities. The chloroform extract showed a topical anti-inflammatory activity (ID50 = 282g cm.2), only three times lower than that of the reference drug indomethacin (ID50 = 93 g cm.2) and its active components were identified as ursolic and oleanolic acids. The methanol extract, showing a significant radical-scavenging effect (SC50 = 14.54 g), was characterized by the isolation and identification of some flavonoids. On the contrary, the extracts did not show any anti-bacterial effect against four standard aerobial bacteria strains.