Thyme Essential Oil as Natural Leather Preservative against Fungi

This work covers the chemical composition of essential oil isolated from thyme (Thymus vulgaris) analyzed using GC-MS and its antifungal activity. The main components of Thymus vulgaris oil were tymol (32.43%) and carvacrol (57.355%). The thyme oil was assayed for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger on sheepskins for footwear lining treated with thyme oil at a rate of 30g/1000g wet blue leather, during fatliquoring process. These pathogens are very contagious and result in severe damage of leather. Compounds were investigated by ASTM D4576–86 (1996) method against Aspergillus niger and by Standard SR EN ISO 20645:2004 against Candida albicans. The essential oil of thyme showed the best antifungal activity on sheepskins for footwear lining.