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Blue mold, caused by Penicillium expansum, is considered one of the most serious postharvest diseases of apple fruits. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of thyme methanol extract to control the postharvest blue mold of apple fruit and its possible modes of action through on induction of biochemical defense mechanisms. In this study, the effect of thyme methanol extract was tested on spore germination and colony growth in vitro and peroxidase activity and total phenolic in fruit tissue were evaluated by calorimetric assay. The results showed the inhibitory activity of thyme extract on P. expansum. The extract with 8-20 µg/ml concentrations had 17-33% and 24-36% inhibition of spore germination and colony growth diameter, respectively. Thyme extract decreased blue mold area by 23.63-61.20% and the most effective extract was at 13.88 mg/ml concentration. The relationship between time and thyme extract concentration in relation to decay area was described by the quadratic model. Fruits treated with thyme extract had significantly higher phenolic content and peroxidase activity than the control fruits. The highest content of phenolic compounds and peroxidase activity were achieved in the 6th and 9th days after inoculation. The results of the induction of resistance in this study suggest that the natural products used have the potential for use in the integrated management of blue mold.

Blue mold, caused by Penicillium expansum, is considered one of the most serious postharvest diseases of apple fruits. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of thyme methanol extract to control the postharvest blue mold of apple fruit and its possible modes of action through on induction of biochemical defense mechanisms. In this study, the effect of thyme methanol extract was tested on spore germination and colony growth in vitro and peroxidase activity and total phenolic in fruit tissue were evaluated by calorimetric assay. The results showed the inhibitory activity of thyme extract on P. expansum. The extract with 8-20 µg/ml concentrations had 17-33% and 24-36% inhibition of spore germination and colony growth diameter, respectively. Thyme extract decreased blue mold area by 23.63-61.20% and the most effective extract was at 13.88 mg/ml concentration. The relationship between time and thyme extract concentration in relation to decay area was described by the quadratic model. Fruits treated with thyme extract had significantly higher phenolic content and peroxidase activity than the control fruits. The highest content of phenolic compounds and peroxidase activity were achieved in the 6th and 9th days after inoculation. The results of the induction of resistance in this study suggest that the natural products used have the potential for use in the integrated management of blue mold.

Objective: Resistance exercise and supplementation by Shirazi thyme has beneficial effects on inflammatory processes. The present study aims to assess the effect of 8 weeks of resistance exercise combined with Shirazi thyme supplementation on plasma levels of Interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor- alpha (TNF-α) in men with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Methods: This is a clinical trial with a quasi-experimental design. Participants were 60 non-athlete men with NAFLD selected using a convenience sampling method and divided into four groups of placebo (n=15), exercise (n=15), supplementation (n=15), and exercise + supplementation (n=15). The exercise program consisted of eight weeks of resistance exercise at 3 sessions per week with an intensity of 50-80% of one repetition maximum). For supplementation, a 20 mg soft capsule (Barij Gastrolith) was prescribed three times per day and half an hour before meals. Blood samples were taken before and after the intervention. Data analysis was conducted in SPSS software using one-way analysis of variance considering a significance level of 0.05. Results: Resistance exercise (9.20±5.67), Shirazi thyme supplementation (8.36±4.80) and their combination (7.80±4.02) had no significant effect on INF-γ level (p≥0.05). Moreover, resistance exercise (4.56±1.69), Shirazi thyme supplementation (4.25±2.43) and their combination (5.21±2.22) had no significant effect on TNF-α level (p≥0.05). Conclusion: Resistance exercise alone, Shirazi thyme supplementation alone, or their combination cannot improve inflammatory markers of fatty liver in people with NAFLD. However, it requires further research.