Exploring the Bioactive Properties of Thymus kotschyanus var. kotschyanus and Endemic Thymus brachychilus: From Plant Extracts to Alginate Film Formulations for Wound Infection Management

Background/Objectives: Antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges to the treatment of infectious diseases. Wounds occur as a result of damage to the skin caused by various factors and may become life-threatening with the development of infection. Plants can exhibit considerable microbiological activity due to their rich phytochemical composition. Thymus kotschyanus var. kotschyanus and the endemic species Thymus brachychilus collected from Adıyaman Province, Türkiye, have been widely used by local communities for their therapeutic properties and other purposes.

Methods

In this study, ethanol extracts of these plants were prepared and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against nine Gram-negative bacteria, seven Gram-positive bacteria, one mycobacterial strain, and four yeast strains using agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. Their antibiofilm activity was assessed using a microplate-based assay, anti-quorum sensing activity was evaluated using Chromobacterium violaceum strains, anti-infective activity was investigated using the Caenorhabditis elegans model, and cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay. The phytochemical composition of the extracts was determined by HPLC-DAD. Alginate film formulations containing the extracts were prepared using the solvent-casting method and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and light microscopy. Their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were subsequently evaluated.