Phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial parameters of essential oils and hydrosols of colombian Thyme and Rosemary obtained using two different steam distillation methods

Two procedures of steam distillation of Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris were compared by phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial analysis of their respective essential oils and hydrosols using respectively GCFID and GCMS analysis, free radical scavenging activity on ABTS and dilution and diffusion method against 3 bacteria and 2 fungi. Differences in bioactivity results are discussed taking into account changes in molecular content of essential oils and hydrosols obtained by the two different distillation methods. Although no significant difference was observed between the two procedures with Rosmarinus officinalis, that was not the case with Thymus vulgaris. Significant differences were noted, not only in their respective chemical composition especially with the thymol and p-cymene percentage with respectively a change from 39% with conventional steam distillation to 27% with adapted steam distillation for thymol and from 28% with the first distillation to 37% with the second one for p-cymene. These phytochemical composition changes have an impact on their biological activities results and consequently on the therapeutic activities expected which shows the importance of distillation method selection.