Manscript Submission

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE LEAF OIL OF THYMUS VULGARIS L

The constituents of the leaf oil extracted by hydro distillation of Thymus vulgaris L, family, Lamiaceae from Ethiopia was examined by GC-MS. The yield of the yellowish oil was found to be be 0.97 % (w/w) in relation to dry weight basis. Eighteen chemical constituents were identified accounting for cent percent the leaf oil. The major terpenoids identified were thymol (31.977%), o-cymene (29.992%), carvacrol (14.541%), ç-terpinene (9.079%), linalyl anthranilate (4.762%), α-terpinene (1.756%) and 4-terpineol (1.464%). The leaf oil of Thymus vulgaris showed remarkable antibacterial activity against both gram negative (Escherichia coli) and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria.