Abstract

REVIEW ARTICLE: THE PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF THE GENUS MICROMERIA

Al-Harith Mohammed AL-Samawi, Amina El-Shaibany* and Mahmoud Mahyoob Alburyhi

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Abstract

The genus Micromeria, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, comprises numerous species distributed across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a notable presence in the Mediterranean region and Canary Islands. This review article explores the pharmacological potential of Micromeria species, focusing on their antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and enzyme inhibitory activities. Essential oils and extracts from species such as Micromeria hortensis, Micromeria khuzestanica, and Micromeria montana demonstrate significant antimicrobial properties, attributed to high levels of carvacrol and thymol. Antioxidant activity is similarly robust, primarily due to oxygenated monoterpenes. Cytotoxic studies reveal potent activity against various cancer cell lines, suggesting potential applications in cancer therapy. Additionally, Micromeria species exhibit strong inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), enzymes implicated in Alzheimer's disease. This review underscores the importance of further research to isolate and characterize the active compounds in Micromeria, paving the way for their potential therapeutic applications.

Keywords: Micromeria, Lamiaceae, antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, butyrylcholinesterase inhibition, carvacrol, thymol, medicinal plants.