Daniela Luminiţa Ichim, Vasile Burlui
ABSTRACT :
The Lamiaceae family, one of the largest and most widespread families of aromatic plants, includes numerous species with traditional and modern uses in phytotherapy, nutrition, and cosmetics. Species such as Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Origanum vulgare are recognized for their high content of essential oils, rich in bioactive compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, menthol, eugenol, and 1,8-cineole. These substances confer various pharmacological properties to the oils, among which antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities stand out. The general aim of this study was the preparation of liposomes based on natural oils extracted from plants of the Lamiaceae family and their microbiological screening to determine the liposome formulation with the most pronounced antimicrobial activity. The obtained results confirm the potential of liposomes loaded with essential oils from the Lamiaceae family as natural agents with high efficacy in preventing and treating microbial infections, suggesting that such formulations can improve the bioavailability and stability of bioactive compounds.