Clove Basil Research Articles

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES OF FOUR OCIMUM SPECIES IN UTTARAKHAND, INDIA

In traditional systems of medicine along with holistic approach, different parts of basil (Ocimum spp.) have been prescribed for the treatment of various ailments. Morphological and anatomical characters play a vital role in plant based crude drug identification and standardization. This study aimed to characterize the morphological and anatomical structure of four different species of Ocimum such as Ocimum basilicum var thyrsiflora L. commonly named as Thai basil; Ocimum tenuiflorum L. as Holy or sacred basil; Ocimum gratissimum L. as Shrubby basil or Clove basil and Ocimum viride Willd. as Temple basil or Fever plant of Sierra Leone. This study is useful to correct identification judging the authencity of the plant and to differentiate these species from each other’s while undertaking pharmacognostical characterization and evaluation. Key words: Basil, Anatomical, Morphological, Medicinal crude drugs.

Effect of dietary essential oils of clove basil and ginger on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) following challenge with Streptococcus agalactiae

Nile tilapia is the most farmed freshwater fish, however disease outbreaks are the main cause of losses in the production. Active compounds from plants are an alternative to synthetic chemicals to enhance growth and disease resistance. This study aimed to verify the effects of dietary supplementation with essential oils of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) on tilapia, regarding growth, hemato-immunological parameters and survival to challenge with S. agalactiae. Juveniles fed for 55days with supplemented diets (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%) were challenged by gavage with S. agalactiae and monitored for 10days. At 35 and 55days of supplementation and 10days after infection, blood was collected for hemato-immunological assays. For growth parameters, fish were weighed every 10days. Clove basil at 0.5% significantly improved (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (1.34±0.13 in control, with final weight of 19.25±2.38). At 55days, neutrophils were higher in fish fed ginger 1.0% (p<0.05) compared to ginger 0.5% and 1.5%. Ten days after infection, there were significant differences in thrombocytes, total leukocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils. Except for 1.5% ginger, all supplemented diets showed increased phagocytic activity (p<0.05). After challenge, the only group with 100% relative survival was 0.5% ginger, while control had 2.86% mortality. Dietary supplementation with essential oils was useful for improving growth, immune responses and disease resistance. Statement of relevanceThis study reports the use of natural compounds for prophylactic purposes as an alternative to chemical antibiotics, whose hazardous consequences regarding environmental and health questions have been reported. Streptococcus agalactiae is a highly pathogenic and potentially zoonotic bacteria affecting farmed tilapia. The tested compounds proved to enhance the growth and immune response of fish against S. agalactiae.

Essential oils from Taiwan: Chemical composition and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli

The chemical compositions of seven essential oils from Taiwan were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The eluates were identified by matching the mass fragment patents to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 08 database. The quantitative analysis showed that the major components of lemon verbena are geranial (26.9%) and neral (23.1%); those of sweet marjoram are γ-terpinene (18.5%), thymol methyl ether (15.5%), and terpinen-4-ol (12.0%); those of clove basil are eugenol (73.6%), and β-(Z)-ocimene (15.4%); those of patchouli are carvacrol (47.5%) and p-cymene (15.2%); those of rosemary are α-pinene (54.8%) and 1,8-cineole (22.2%); those of tea tree are terpinen-4-ol (33.0%) and 1,8-cineole (27.7%); and those of rose geranium are citronellol (28.9%) and 6,9-guaiadiene (20.1%). These components are somewhat different from the same essential oils that were obtained from other origins. Lemon verbena has the same major components everywhere. Tea tree, rose geranium, and clove basil have at least one major component throughout different origins. The major components and their amounts in sweet marjoram, patchouli, and rosemary vary widely from one place to another. These results demonstrate that essential oils have a large diversity in their composition in line with their different origins. The antibacterial activity of essential oils against Escherichia coli was evaluated using the optical density method (turbidimetry). Patchouli is a very effective inhibitor, in that it completely inhibits the growth of E. coli at 0.05%. Clove basil and sweet marjoram are good inhibitors, and the upper limit of their minimum inhibitory concentration is 0.1%.

Anesthetic and anthelminthic effects of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum) essential oil for tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

Expensive imported drugs that are sometimes not available in the market are used to anesthetize and avoid handling stress in farmed tambaquis and to control and prevent parasites, especially monogeneans. Given that the use of these chemicals poses intoxication risks to fish, farm workers, consumers and the environment; the present study evaluated the anthelmintic and anesthetic properties of a natural product, clove basil (Ocimium gratissimum) essential oil (OgEO), in tambaqui farming. The first experiment assessed the anthelmintic effects of tambaqui exposure to OgEO at 0, 5, 10 and 15mgL−1 in 15-min immersion baths; the second evaluated fish blood parameters after 15-min baths in 15 and 60mgL−1 OgEO; and the final experiment assessed anesthesia induction time using OgEO at 20, 50, 100, 200 and 300mgL−1. OgEO showed anthelmintic and anesthetic effects at concentrations of at least 15mgL−1. Fish serum ammonia increased after the baths because of both handling and OgEO exposure, but after 24h it returned to normal levels, which were exhibited by fish that were not subjected to stress conditions. The findings indicate that the essential oil of clove basil is a safe and efficient ingredient to be used in natural anthelmintic and anesthetic products for tropical fish farming. Statement of relevanceEssential oils can anesthetize and treat ectoparasites of farmed fish at minimum stress level.

Total biomass and essential oil composition of Ocimum gratissimum L. in response to broiler litter and phosphorus

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the biomass yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of clove basil in response to doses of broiler litter (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha-1) added in presence of triple superphosphate (200 kg ha-1) or without it. Before the first harvest, the height of the plants increased significantly (34.42 cm) when 15 tonnes ha-1 broiler litter were added to the soil. However, after resprouting, the plant heights ranged only as a function of the vegetative cycle, with maximum height (76.0 cm) observed at 60 days. Phosphate fertilization also significantly influenced the leaf area (1.771 cm2 plant-1) during the first harvest. The fresh weight of leaves increased linearly in response to the addition of broiler litter (20 ton ha-1) with maximum yields of 1,709 and 7,140 kg ha-1 during the first harvest and regrowth, respectively. On average, the oil content of the leaves was 0.7%, with maximum performance (3.8 L ha-1) when 20 tonnes ha-1 of broiler litter were added on the soil. Eugenol was found to be the major compound of the essential oil (71.65%).

Avaliação fitoquímica e atividade antioxidan e, antimutagênica e toxicológica do extrato aquoso das folhas de Ocimum gratissimum L.

A espécie Ocimum gratissimum L., popularmente conhecida como alfavaca, é uma planta muito usada na medicina tradicional brasileira, à qual são atribuídas diversas atividades terapêuticas quando usada na forma de infuso de suas folhas. Neste estudo foi realizada a caracterização fitoquímica, a avaliação da ação antioxidante e a investigação dos efeitos antimutagênico e antigenotóxico, além do efeito mutagênico e genotóxico potencial do extrato aquoso liofilizado a parir das folhas de O. gratissimum (EAOG). O conteúdo de polifenóis totais no extrato foi determinado pelo método Folin-Ciocalteu, sendo encontrado 11,3 µg EAG/mg de EAOG. A atividade antioxidante foi avaliada pelo teste do 1,1-difenil-2-picril hidrazil (DPPH•), apresentando IC50 de 83,0 µg/mL. A antimutagenicidade e mutagenicidade foram avaliadas em cepas de Salmonella typhimurium (TA98 e TA100) utilizando o teste Salmonella/microssoma (Salmonella typhimurium/microssomas) em diferentes concentrações. EAOG induziu a atividade antimutagênica para a cepa TA98. A mutagenicidade não foi observada para o extrato em ambas as linhagens. Adicionalmente, a ação antigenotoxica avaliada pelo teste de clivagem do DNA-plasmidial também foi observada para EAOG. Os resultados também demonstraram que o extrato não foi capaz de induzir a genotoxicidade pelo teste empregado. Este estudo relata, pela primeira vez, as propriedades antimutagênica e antigenotóxica do extrato aquoso de O. gratissimum.

Levantamento etnobotânico das plantas medicinais utilizadas pela comunidade de Inhamã, Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil

Avaliou-se o conhecimento, uso, obtenção e indicação terapêutica de plantas utilizadas pela comunidade rural de Inhamã, situada no município de Abreu e Lima, PE, Brasil. Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 75 moradores. Foram citadas 155 espécies, distribuídas em 112 gêneros e 59 famílias. Conforme a indicação terapêutica, as espécies foram agrupadas em sistemas corporais reconhecidos pela Organização Mundial de Saúde e o índice de importância relativa (IR) foi calculado para cada espécie. Destacaram-se pelo número de espécies, as famílias: Asteraceae, Fabaceae e Lamiaceae. As doenças mais citadas estiveram relacionadas aos sistemas respiratório e gastrointestinal. Ocimum gratissimum, alfavaca, apresentou o maior valor de IR (2,0), seguido por Lippia alba, erva cidreira (1,6), Mentha villosa, hortelã pequena (1,6) e Musa paradisiaca, banana (1,5), indicadas para tratamento de transtornos dos sistemas respiratório, digestório e nervoso. Apenas 11% das espécies citadas tiveram prescrições médicas. Inhamã diferencia-se de outras comunidades próximas a centros urbanos porque os moradores cultivam a maioria das espécies medicinais que consomem.

Levantamento etnobotânico de plantas medicinais na cidade de Ipameri - GO

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: identificar as espécies vegetais utilizadas com fins medicinais pela comunidade de Ipameri (Estado de Goiás); investigar as preferências com relação à produção e comercialização dessas plantas; e diagnosticar o perfil de gênero e as faixas etárias e salariais de seus usuários. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 200 famílias da cidade e coletadas as plantas visando-se a sua correta identificação. O material foi herborizado, identificado e depositado no Herbário da Universidade Estadual de Goiás (HUEG). Das 200 famílias entrevistadas, 75 disseram não fazer uso de plantas com fins medicinais (37,5%), enquanto 125 afirmaram fazê-lo (62,5%). O grupo que utiliza relacionou 35 espécies mais empregadas: hortelã-rasteira (Mentha x villosa L.), boldo-sete-dores (Plectranthus barbatus Andrews.), capim-cidreira (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.), quebra-pedra (Phyllanthus niruri L.), camomila (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert.), poejo (Mentha pulegium L.), guaco (Mikania glomerata Spreng.), mentrasto (Ageratum conyzoides L.), alfavacão (Ocimum gratissimum L.), losna (Artemisia canphorata Vill.), bálsamo (Eysenhardtia platycarpa Mich.), carqueja (Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC.), funcho (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), babosa (Aloe vera L.) e malva (Althaea officinalis L.). Todas as famílias consumidoras (100%) afirmaram preferir as plantas cultivadas de forma orgânica, selecionando-as através da boa aparência (68% das famílias) e consumindo-as in natura (sem beneficiamento, 100%). A utilização de plantas medicinais em Ipameri é independente do sexo (54%, mulheres e 46%, homens) e se estende às várias faixas etárias e também sócio-econômicas, configurando-se assim, um bom mercado consumidor.

Phytochemical Constituents and Antimicrobial and Grain Protectant Activities of Clove Basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) Grown in Nigeria

Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Lamiaceae) is an herbaceous plant reputed for many medicinal and agronomic practices amongst Nigerian peasant farmers. O. gratissimum was investigated for antimicrobial activity against ten mi- cro-organisms and for grain protectant activity against Callosobrochus maculatus. The phytocontituents of the aerial part of O. gratissimum were extracted with 95% ethanol using the percolation method. The crude ethanol extracted was further fractionated into hexane, chloroform and methanol fractions. The fractions obtained were screened for phytoconstiteunts, antimicrobial and grain protectant properties. Result showed that hexane fraction exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against Vibrio cholera and Klebsiella pneumonia. Similarly hexane fraction also showed the highest grain protectant activity. The other extracts of the O. gratissimum did not significantly inhibit both bacterial growth and grain infestation. However, the methanol fraction contains phytocompounds such as phenolic compounds associated with antioxidant properties. The study shows that O. gratissimum extractants are potential sources of antimicrobial and preservative agents.

PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON CLOVE BASIL PLANT

This experiment was conducted at the Floriculture Nursery at the Experimental Farm and the Laboratory of Floriculture, Fac. of Agric., MiniaUniv. during the two successive seasons of 2010 and 2011 to study the effect of FYM (Farmyard manure), bio. and / or salicylic acid, as well as, mineral NPK fertilization treatments on vegetative growth, oil production and chemical composition of clove basil plant. The obtained results indicated that the application of FYM significantly increased plant height (cm), number of branches / plant, herb fresh weight in each cut (g / plant / cut), herb fresh weight in each season (g / plant / season) and total herb fresh weight per feddan for each season (ton. / fed. / season), essential oil (%), essential oil yield / plant / cut (ml) and per plant / season (ml), as well as per fed. / season (liter), content of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids (mg / g. fresh weight) in the fresh leaves, as well as, the percentages of N, P and K in the dry herb. The superiority in all previous traits was for treatment of FYM at high level (45 m3 / fed.) as compared with the other levels including the control. The plants treated with mineral NPK or a mixture of effective microorganisms (E.M.) and phosphorein (Phos.) plus salicylic acid gave the best results of all tested parameters in both cuts of the two growing seasons. Regarding the percentage of essential oil in the fresh herb, the treatment of E.M. + Phos. + Sal. was more effective than the other treatments. The interaction between the main-plots (FYM treatments) and sub-plots (bio, Salicylic acid and NPK treatments) had significant effect on the previous parameters. The highest values, in most cases, were obtained due to the high level of FYM (45 m3 / fed.) in combination with mineral NPK and E.M. + Phos. + Sal.

Detecção de Aethalion reticulatum (L., 1767) (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) em alfavaca-cravo (Ocimum gratissimum L.) e observações sobre sua ocorrência

O objetivo deste trabalho foi relatar a ocorrência da cigarrinha Aethalionidae em alfavaca-cravo (Ocimum gratissimum L.) no município de Bandeirantes-PR. Plantas com cerca de dois anos, na fase reprodutiva, com inflorescências, flores, frutos e sementes, serviram como fonte para a coleta de ninfas e adultos das cigarrinhas. Registrou-se em alfavaca-cravo a espécie Aethalion reticulatum e a interação com as formigas Camponotus rufipes e C. crassus.

Plant odours with potential for a push–pull strategy to control the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci

AbstractWe compared the efficacy of four plant essential oils to repel onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in the presence of an attractive odour, ethyl iso‐nicotinate in a pasture field. Four horizontal white sticky plates were placed adjacent to (directions: N, S, E, W) a central horizontal white plate (C). After 24 h, in the treatment combination where the four plates were sprayed with essential oil surrounding a central sticky plate sprayed with ethyl iso‐nicotinate, fewer onion thrips were found on the plates treated with sweet marjoram [Origanum majorana L. (Labiatae)] or clove basil [Ocimum gratissimum L. (Labiatae)] (87 and 71% less, respectively) compared to the control treatment of four water‐sprayed plates surrounding a central plate with ethyl iso‐nicotinate. We also compared the distribution of onion thrips on the plates. Relative thrips numbers on each plate were compared with similar (N, S, E, W, and C) plates in the control treatment. There were relatively lower thrips numbers on the south (23% reduction) and west (26% reduction) O. majorana‐treated plates and higher numbers (37% increase) on the central attractant‐treated plate indicating a short‐distance push–pull effect. When four plates were sprayed with the thrips attractant surrounding a central sticky plate sprayed with an essential oil or water (control), only O. majorana reduced the number of thrips on the attractant‐sprayed plates (62% reduction). The distribution of thrips on the different plates within this treatment combination did not change substantially when compared to the distribution in the water‐control treatment. Other essential oils tested (wormwood [Artemisia arborescens L. (Compositae)]) and tea tree [Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden. &amp; Betche.) Cheel. (Myrtaceae)]) were not effective in any of the treatments. It appears that O. majorana is a promising thrips repellent which could be used for further testing in a push–pull system with the attractant ethyl iso‐nicotinate. The field setup used also proved to be a valuable tool for evaluating the potential of repellents to control onion thrips.

GLOBAL YIELDS, CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF CLOVE BASIL (OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM L.) EXTRACTS OBTAINED BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION

ABSTRACT Clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum) extracts were obtained with supercritical CO2. Clove basil was cultivated using 0, 4, 8 and 12 kg/m2 of organic fertilizer and was harvested in four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn, in the Southern Hemisphere. The extracts' global yields were determined at 40C and 150 bar for samples from all cultivation conditions and harvesting seasons. For selected samples, the extracts' global yields at 40C were determined for pressures of 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 bar. The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector. Antioxidant activity (AA) was assessed using the coupled reaction of β‐caroteneand linolenic acid. The extracts' global yields varied from 0.91 to 1.79% (dry basis), and the AAs varied from 62 to 84% compared with the control β‐carotene. Eugenol and β‐selinene were the major compounds. The relative proportion of eugenol varied from 35 to 60%, while the content of β‐selinene remained approximately constant (11.5–14.1%, area). The other substances quantified in the extracts were 1,8 cineole, trans‐caryophyllene and α‐selinene.

Essential oil composition from twelve varieties of basil (Ocimum spp) grown in Colombia

Essential oil compositions of aerial parts from twelve basil cultivars (Ocimum spp) were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Ten of them were characterized by the presence of a high percentage of methyl cinnamate (35-80%), which defined the chemotype for these varieties. Only one presented the caryophyllene chemotype and another, the linalool chemotype. Three of the basils, "purple ruffles", "little virgin" and "purple virgin" exhibited the methyl cinnamate > linalool subtype. "White compact" and "white ruffles" showed the methyl cinnamate > linalool > 1,8-cineole subtype. Methyl cinnamate > methyl eugenol was the subtype for "purple castle". The variety "large green leaves" exhibited the linalool > methyl cinnamate subtype. Caryophyllene > methyl eugenol subtype was determined for "clove basil". The rest of the basils "cinnamon", "purple lovingly", "sweet castle" and "purple long-legged", belonged to the methyl cinnamate chemotype in which methyl cinnamate constituted more than 62% of the total essential oil content.