RT Journal Article
T1 Toxicological Evaluation and Antimicrobial Activity of a Natural Thymol–Eucalyptol-Based Mixture
A1 Lira-Mejía, Boris
A1 Barrios-Arpi, Luis
A1 Villaorduña, Carlos
A1 Ancajima, Tatiana
A1 Rodríguez, José-Luis
A1 Romero Martínez, Manuel Alejandro
A1 Puicón, Víctor
A1 Patiño, Hugo
AB Currently, safe alternatives with very low toxicity and good antimicrobial activity are being sought to replace chemical compounds that can be harmful to animal and human health. For this reason, this study evaluated the safety and biofunctional microbiocidal potential of an extract composed of thymol and eucalyptol. Toxicity tests showed low toxicity in both chickens (2000 mg/kg bw) and Artemia salina (EC50 = 2003 mg/L) and Daphnia magna (EC50 = 87 mg/L), indicating a safe usage profile. Oxidative stress biomarkers (nitrite and MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (SOD and catalase) improved in treated chickens at 20 days of age. The hematological and biochemical parameters of the treated birds showed normal values similar to those of the control group chickens, with better protein levels and lower AST levels. Histology of the kidney, intestine, and liver showed no changes in any group, confirming the absence of systemic adverse effects. At the molecular level, an improvement in the expression of tight junction proteins (claudin and occludin) was observed, suggesting a strengthening of the intestinal barrier integrity. Finally, the extract demonstrated an antimicrobial effect (E. coli, C. perfringens, Salmonella sp. and Pseudomonas sp.) comparable to that of organic acids commonly used as food preservatives, positioning it as a promising alternative in applications
PB MDPI
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/126111
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/126111
LA eng
NO Lira-Mejía, B., Barrios-Arpi, L., Villaorduña, C., Ancajima, T., Rodríguez, J. L., Romero, A., Puicón, V., & Patiño, H. (2025). Toxicological Evaluation and Antimicrobial Activity of a Natural Thymol-Eucalyptol-Based Mixture. Toxics, 13(10), 875. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100875
NO Author Contributions: Conceptualization, B.L.-M., J.-L.R. and H.P.; Data curation, B.L.-M. and J.-L.R.; Formal analysis, B.L.-M. and A.R.; Investigation, B.L.-M., J.-L.R., V.P., T.A., C.V., H.P. and L.B.-A.; Methodology, B.L.-M., J.-L.R. and A.R.; Project administration, B.L.-M. and H.P.; Resources, B.L.-M. and H.P.; Software, A.R. and J.-L.R.; Validation, L.B.-A., C.V. and V.P.; Visualization, B.L.-M., J.-L.R. and A.R.; Writing—original draft, A.R., B.L.-M. and J.-L.R.; Writing—review and editing, A.R. and J.-L.R. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript
DS Docta Complutense
RD 15 abr 2026