The aim of this study was to evaluate occurrence of T. pulegioides α-terpinyl acetate chemotype, as source of natural origin α-terpinyl acetate, to determine its phytotoxic and antimicrobial features. Were investigated 131 T. pulegioides habitats. Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Phytotoxic effect of essential oil of this chemotype on monocotyledons and dicotyledons through water and air was carried out in laboratory conditions; the broth microdilution method was used to screen essential oil effect against human pathogenic microorganisms. Results showed that α-terpinyl acetate was very rare compound in essential oil of T. pulegioides: it was found only in 35% of investigated T. pulegioides habitats. α-Terpinyl acetate (in essential oil and pure) demonstrated different behavior on investigated plants. Phytotoxic effect of α-terpinyl acetate was stronger on investigated monocotyledons than on dicotyledons. α-Terpinyl acetate essential oil inhibited seeds germination and radicles growth for high economic productivity forage grass monocotyledon Poa pratensis, but stimulated seed germination for high economic productive forage legume dicotyledon Trifolium pretense. α-Terpinyl acetate essential oil showed high antimicrobial effect against fungi and dermatophytes but lower effect against bacteria and Candida yeasts. Therefore, T. pulegioides α-terpinyl acetate chemotype could be a potential compound for developing preventive measures or/and drugs for mycosis.

The results on the chemical composition of the essential oils hydrodistilled from three forms of T. serpyllum growing wild in the Curonian Spit (west of Lithuania) are presented in this study. GC and GC/MS results of volatile oils show that the analysed plants can be defined as a specific chemotype within the Serpyllum section, which can be characterised by a high content of 1,8-cineole (16.3-19.0%) in the essential oil. In addition, one form of the plants with white-coloured blossoms was exceptionally rich in E-carvyl acetate (18.7%). Phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacol, were not detected in the T. serpyllum plants analysed, which is a characteristic feature of the Serpyllum species growing in the Northern European countries.

Intraspecific chemical polymorphism is characteristic of essential oil bearing Thymus pulegioides (Lamiaceae). Soil chemical composition and climatic conditions can influence not only quantitative and qualitative composition of essential oils, but also on prevalence of different chemotypes in space. The purpose of study was to determine the impact of edaphic and climatic factors on T. pulegioides essential oil composition and potential chemotypes prevalence. It were investigated 131 habitats of T. pulegioides in all ten climatic sub-districts of Lithuania. Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The content of humus was estimated by oxidation method, the content of mobile potassium (K₂O) and mobile phosphorus (P₂O₅)—flame photometry using 0.2 M HCl solution, the soil pH—electrometrically and 15 elements of soil—by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The meteorological data (temperature, rainfall, photosynthetically active solar radiation and sunshine duration) were obtained from the meteorological bulletins. Results showed that humus in soil positively, manganese and cobalt—negatively influenced on the essential oil accumulation in T. pulegioides. Carvacrol was the most common compound in the essential oil of T. pulegioides; higher amounts of sulphur and mobile phosphorus, lower amounts of sodium in soil, higher rainfall in blooming period are favourable for this compound and for potential prevalence of carvacrol chemotype. Geraniol was frequent in the eastern and the central part of Lithuania, where the temperature in vegetation season is higher, and in soils characterised by higher and lower amounts of sodium and chlorine, respectively. Thymol, linalool and α-terpinyl acetate were rare. Edaphic and climatic conditions can differently influence on essential oil yield and chemical composition of species as well as on potential prevalence of different chemotypes of same species in space.