Study of the composition of the different parts of a Spanish Thymus vulgaris L. plant

The yield and composition of the dichloromethane extracts of leaves, flowers and stems of Thymus vulgaris L. growing in northeastern Spain have been studied. The yield obtained from leaves and flowers is much higher than that obtained from stems. This plant has a chemotype different from those previously known for Thymus vulgaris L. The fraction of the dichloromethane extract from leaves and flowers, studied by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, shows that these tissues have higher concentrations of terpene hydrocarbons, oxygen terpene derivatives, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygen sesquiterpene derivatives, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons and phytosterol derivatives than the stems. However, aldehydes with large number of carbon atoms have been found in higher concentrations in stems than in flowers and leaves. These extracts from different parts of Thymus vulgaris it. also show the presence of a large number of flavonoids and vitamin E, compounds of great interest in food industry for their antioxidant activity. Leaves and flowers of this plant are of interest as flavourings, as well as being natural antioxidants for the food industry. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.