ASSESSMENT OF MINERAL COMPOUNDS IN DIFFERENT POPULATIONS OF THYME (THYMUS L.).

The mineral profile of thyme, a species so often used as a medicinal plant or spice, represents a permanent and significant research topic for the fields of agronomy, chemotaxonomy, biochemistry. Previous studies have indicated a significant number of organic substances with high antimicrobial potential not only in cultivated but also in spontaneous populations of thyme, revealing the phytobiological value of these species. We are in a permanent search for new resources from the wild flora, necessary either for direct use or introduction into culture. In this context, the study evaluates the mineral profile related to 17 spontaneous populations of thyme identified in the Banat area, compared to a cultivated population, investigating the quality of the biological material analyzed. The content of total mineral substances (ash) in the analyzed populations varied between 1.19% in the population of Th. pannonicus ssp. auctus from the Silagiu area and 10.85% in the cultivated thyme (Th. vulgaris), observing the existence of individual variations depending on the species, but also depending on the harvesting area. The characteristics of the biotope are defining and influence the mineral profile of the thyme populations in natural areas. Among the mineral elements analyzed in the present work, those related to the analysis of the macroelement content are presented. The amount of calcium accumulated in the dry vegetable mass can represent a relevant indication as a species character, if it will be confirmed by other specialized studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]