13th Conference on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (CMAPSEEC 2026)

Background: While Thymus vulgaris is widely recognized for the biological activities of its essential oil and extracts, limited information is available regarding the chemical composition of its seed oil. As a potential source of ω-3 fatty acids and lipophilic antioxidants, thyme seed oil represents an interesting but insufficiently explored plant-derived oil. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the fatty acid, carotenoid, and tocol composition of T. vulgaris seed oil.
Materials and Methods: Seed oil was extracted from ground seeds by Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane and chemically characterized by GC-FID/GC-MS and HPLC analyses to determine fatty acid composition, carotenoid profile, and tocol content..
Results: The phytochemical profile of T. vulgaris seed oil revealed a unique combination of bioactive lipophilic compounds, characterized by a predominance of α-linolenic acid, together with appreciable amounts of carotenoids and vitamin E homologues. The high proportion of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly α-linolenic acid, suggests a favorable nutritional profile and may contribute to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects associated with plant seed oils. In addition, lutein and β-carotene, identified as the major carotenoids, may further enhance oxidative stability and biological activity through their free radical scavenging properties. The predominance of γ-tocopherol and γ-tocotrienol is particularly noteworthy, as these compounds are recognized as effective lipid-phase antioxidants capable of protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidative degradation.
Conclusions: The coexistence of high levels of ω-3 fatty acids with carotenoids and tocols indicates a potentially synergistic antioxidant system within the oil matrix. Such a composition may contribute not only to the stability of the oil itself but also to its potential health-promoting properties, supporting the use of T. vulgaris seed oil as a valuable source of nutritionally relevant bioactive compounds.