Lemon essential oil: molecular docking analysis and investigation of antibacterial and antioxidant activities
Dijana Blazhekovikj – Dimovska
*University „St. Kliment Ohridski“, Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, Bitola, N. Macedonia
| ARTICLE INFO | ABSTRACT |
| TYPE: Original scientific paper https://doi.org/10.17508/CJFST.2025.17.2.07 |
The objective of this study was to investigate whether the essential oil of Thymus tosevii Vel. subsp. tosevii var. degenii (Lamiaceae), a species endemic to Pelister, Baba Mountain (Bitola, Macedonia), exhibits specific antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and Bacillus subtilis. The essential oil was extracted from the aerial parts during its flowering phase via hydro-distillation, using the Unger apparatus. Antibacterial activity of the oil was evaluated using a disc diffusion method. The essential oil of Thymus tosevii Vel. subsp. tosevii var. degenii (thyme) exhibited varying antimicrobial effects, which depended on both the concentration of the essential oil and the specific microorganism tested. Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli were the most susceptible, while Bacillus subtilis showed moderate sensitivity. Natural substances, including plant-derived essential oils, can enhance food safety and quality by inhibiting microbial growth, thereby extending shelf life and preventing spoilage. |
| *CORRESPONDENCE Dijana Blazhekovikj – Dimovska dijana.blazekovic@uklo.edu.mk |
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| ARTICLE HISTORY Received: March 17, 2025 Accepted: July 24, 2025 |
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| CITATION Blazhekovikj – Dimovska D. Antibacterial properties of the essential oil of Thymus tosevii Vel. subsp. tosevii var. degenii (Lamiaceae) from Pelister, Baba Mountain (Bitola, Macedonia) as a potential natural food preservative. Croatian Journal of Food Science and Technology (2025) 17 (2) 1 – 14 |
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 COPYRIGHT: © 2025 by the author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). |
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| KEYWORDS
thyme; essential oil; antimicrobial activity; inhibition zones |
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| KEY CONTRIBUTION
Using the essential oils as natural food preservatives. |