ABSTRACT
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In this regard, the mode of action of carvacrol, a monoterpene phenol present in several essential oils, has been the most studied. Carvacrol interacts with the cytoplasmatic membrane and aligns between the fatty acids chains, causing expansion and destabilization of the membrane structure increasing its uidity and permeability. The oil acting on the permeability barrier of the cytoplasmic membrane could also cause leakage of various other substances, such as ions, ATP, nucleic acids, and amino acids (Sikkema et al. 1995; Ultee et al. 2000, 2002; Lambert et al. 2001; Burt and Reinders 2003; Di Pasqua et al. 2007).
