This study evaluated the chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and pharmacological properties of Origanum vulgare essential oil (OVEO). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified carvacrol (50%), γ-terpinene (13.5%), thymol (9.5%), and p -cymene (7.8%) as the principal constituents. Antioxidant testing using DPPH and o -phenanthroline assays revealed moderate activity compared with synthetic standards. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated strong effects, with inhibition zones reaching 58 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and complete inhibition of Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis . Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) confirmed the potency of OVEO, with Klebsiella pneumoniae inhibited at concentrations as low as 0.037 mg/mL. At the same time, S. aureus and Enterococcus faecalis exhibited susceptibility to 0.125–0.50 mg/mL, while Enterobacter cloacae showed reduced susceptibility (MICs up to 4.78 mg/mL). Fungal pathogens were highly sensitive, with MICs ranging from 0.06 to 0.6 mg/mL. Molecular docking revealed β-caryophyllene as a key compound, exhibiting strong binding affinities (−6.0 to −8.2 kcal/mol) across bacterial, fungal, and viral protein targets. Importantly, ADME predictions showed that β-caryophyllene complies with Lipinski’s Rule of Five and possesses favorable oral bioavailability, supporting its potential as a drug-like compound. In summary, these findings demonstrate that O. vulgare essential oil, rich in phenolic monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and moderate antioxidant capacity, with β-caryophyllene emerging as a promising pharmacological candidate. These results highlight the potential of OVEO as a natural antimicrobial agent and adjuvant to conventional therapies, while emphasizing the need for further in vivo validation.
Touaitia et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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