CHEMICAL PROFILING AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF BASIL ESSENTIAL OIL

Essential oil extracted from basil (Ocimum basilicum) using hydrodistillation was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to investigate the composition and quality of the essential oil. The major components of basil essential oil were linalool (41.93%), eucalyptol (12.23%), 3-allyl-6-methoxyphenol (12.31%), menthol (3.0%), alpha-bergamotene (5.18%), gamma-cadinene (2.14%), tau-cadinol (1.99%), beta-elemene (1.91%), bornyl acetate (1.06%) and beta-pinene (1.24%). Basil essential oil was evaluated by determining its antioxidant activity by carrying on Total phenolic contents (TPC), Total flavonoid contents (TFC), Total proanthocyanidins, Total flavonols, DPPH radical scavenging assay, determination of reducing power, inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide radical scavenging assay and super oxide radical scavenging assays. Basil essential oil antimicrobial activity was tested against bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pastrurella multocida and Straphylococcus aureus) and fungal strains including A. alternate and G. lucidum.