Genus Ocimum Research Articles

Population Polymorphism Study Among Tulsi (Ocimum sp.) Ecotypes In Assam, India Using Morphological And Biochemical Parameters

The genus Ocimum, (family Lamiaceae ) , displays great variability. Prevalence of cross pollination, polyploidy and interspecific hybridization has complicated its taxonomy, making its systematic study difficult. This study investigated the morphological and biochemical variability among 18 ecotypes collected from different parts of the Assam state, India. Considerable diversity was found using all the approaches. The quantitative morphological parameters showed wide variability, not always co-relating with their geographical distances. The Euclidean distance ranged between 6.06 (between the closest accessions) and 59.00 (between the most distant accessions). Phylogenetic analysis divided the accessions into two major clusters sharing approx. 76% identity, and a minor cluster (with three accessions) sharing only approx. 65% identity with the other two. A great deal of diversity was found in the qualitative characters too; that divided the ecotypes into two to five groups. The biochemical characters also revealed wide polymorphism; the distance varied from 1.690 to 58.574. Similar to the morphological characters, the biochemical parameters too did not always correlate with geographical distances. The phylogenetic mapping divided the accessions into two major clusters, sharing approx. 80% similarity. Further work will be needed to correlate the distance based on the morphological and the biochemical characters.

Calidad fisiológica de semillas de cinco variedades de Albahaca Ocimum spp. en condiciones del Valle del Cauca

El género Ocimum con más de 150 especies se caracteriza por la gran variabilidad morfológica y quimiotípica y el gran valor en la industria de perfumería, cosmética, alimentaria y farmacéutica. Con el objetivo de evaluar la calidad fisiológica de las semillas de Ocimum spp, en el Centro Experimental y el laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, ubicada en el municipio de Palmira, se realizaron pruebas de viabilidad en tetrazol y germinación. En ensayos factoriales completamente al azar y tres repeticiones, en semillas de cinco variedades de Ocimum se evaluó el efecto de embeberlas durante cinco minutos en Nitrato de potasio KNO3 al 0.2% y ácido giberélico AG3 a 250 ppm y 500 ppm y un testigo (agua). Los resultados mostraron que las semillas de la especie O. selloi presentaron los mayores porcentajes (90 %) de viabilidad en tetrazolio TTZ y germinación (46,2 %). Las semillas embebidas en KNO3 al 0,2 % presentaron los mayores valores de germinación en semillas de tres de las cinco variedades evaluadas. Las mejores respuestas de germinación se obtuvieron con las semillas de las especies O.selloi (70%) y O, micranthum (58%), seguido de Ocimum sp. (26%). Los resultados indicaron la presencia de niveles variables de latencia, que fue superada parcialmente con los tratamientos de germinación evaluados especialmente nitrato de potasio (KNO3).

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Ocimum labiatum extract and isolated labdane diterpenoid.

BackgroundPlants from the genus Ocimum are used as folk medicine for treating various diseases including inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Numerous reports have suggested plant extracts and their constituents as possible anti-inflammatory agents. Here, in vitro evidence of Ocimum labiatum’s immune-enhancing and antioxidant properties is presented for the first time.MethodsThe anti-inflammatory effect of O. labiatum ethanolic extract and an isolated diterpenoid was determined using a cytometric bead array (CBA) technique. The effect on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was also assessed. A battery of antioxidant assays were used for detecting antioxidant activity while the anti-inflammatory mechanism was evaluated using an ELISA-based activator protein (AP-1) (c-Jun) assay. Cytotoxicity was determined on TZM-bl and PBMCs using a tetrazolium dye and confirmed by a novel label-free real-time assay.ResultsA 25 μg/mL non-cytotoxic concentration of O. labiatum extract significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines; IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-17A. Except for the dual acting pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, which was upregulated, a non-cytotoxic 50 μM concentration of the isolated labdane diterpenoid compound significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the production of all the pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the anti-inflammatory pathway studies, the compound also inhibited AP-1 significantly (p < 0.05) at 50 μM. The extract demonstrated strong, dose dependent antioxidant activity with IC50 values ranging from 13 ± 0.8 to 54.86 ± 1.28 μg/mL while the terpene had no antioxidant property. The extract and diterpenoid decreased the production of the inflammatory mediator NO, at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The CC50 of the extract in TZM-bl and PBMCs was 62.6 ± 0.6 and 30.1 ± 0.4 μg/mL while that of the compound was 112.6 ± 0.2 and 70 ± 0.4 μM respectively. The real time studies confirmed tetrazolium dye assessed viability and also detected a unique growth pattern for the plant materials compared to untreated cells.ConclusionsO. labiatum extract demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties while the terpenoid showed anti-inflammatory but no antioxidant activity. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of the terpene was a result of inhibition of AP-1. These data represents promising first steps towards the development of naturally derived anti-inflammation drugs.

Evaluation of some anti-oxidative constituents of three species of Ocimum

The use herbal medicines for combating with several kinds of health hazards has been traditionally practiced by different human societies since long past. Among the plants known for their therapeutic value, the genus Ocimum, commonly known as ‘Basil’ is very important for its curative potential. In traditional Ayurvedic system mainly the leaves and the seeds of different species of ‘Basil’ were recommended for household remedies from several diseases. Three different species of Ocimum (Ocimum sanctum L., Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum canum Sims.) were grown under laboratory condition for analyzing some of their antioxidative constituents using standard methods. The results revealed that the leaf extract of Ocimum canum had the highest amount of carotenoids, phenolics, and flavonoid content than the other two species. Riboflavin and thiamine content also much higher in Ocimum canum, whereas Ocimum sanctum contained highest amount of ascorbic acid. The results obtained in this effort clearly indicate that, the leaves of these three species of ‘Basil’ have strong antioxidative potential, and surely can be used as a cheap source of natural antioxidants.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v8i5.11858

Development of chemical and EST-SSR markers for Ocimum genus

Ocimum (Lamiaceae) species are commercially important medicinal and aromatic plants with proven efficacy in Unani and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. Their essential oils are highly valued in fragrance, flavoring and pharmaceutical industry. Several researchers have observed complexity in taxonomy and the estimate of total number of species in Ocimum genus. In this study, chemical variability among different accessions of Ocimum genus was determined. Essential oils were extracted and their constituents were analyzed using gas chromatography. Caryophyllene, alpha-caryophyllene and linalool appear to be prominent markers in Ocimum. We have also developed new EST derived microsatellite markers, transferable across different species of Ocimum genus and validated them in a limited set of Ocimum accessions.

Essential oil analysis of fresh aerial part of Iranian Ocimum sanctum L. by hydro & steam distillation.

The genus Ocimum L. belonging to family of Lamiaceae is widely distributed in Iran, Ocimum sanctum L. is described in many medicinal properties and a wide therapeutic range. It is used specially in the management of cough, ashtma, fever and common cold. In this research, samples were collected from Shahr-e-Rey, on August 2013, then essential oils were extracted by hydro-distillation and steam distillation methods, and their chemical composition were investigated by GC/MS. Main components obtained from hydro-distillation were methyl chavicol (26.86%) , linalool (17.76%), epi- α-cadinol (13.12%) in flowers and methyl chavicol (27.64%) , epi- α-cadinol (11.5%) in leaves, and also main components obtained from steam distillation were methyl chavicol (25.2%) , linalool (17.65%), germacrene D (6.87%) in flowers and methyl chavicol (38.96%), linalool (12.13%) in leaves, respectively. Methyl chavicol was the main constituent in all essential oils.

First Record of the Lace BugCochlochila bullita(Hemiptera: Tingidae) as a Pest of Rosemary in South Africa

The lace bug Cochlochila bullita Stal (Hemiptera: Tingidae) (Fig. 1) was recently observed for the first time feeding in large numbers on rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) in home gardens in Stellenbosch, Western Cape Province. It is mostly known as a pest in the Oriental Region where it feeds on many different species of the plant family Lamiaceae (Kumar 2013). In India it is a particularly destructive pest of aromatic and medicinal plants of the genus Ocimum. These plants are commonly known as 'basil', with O. basilicum and O. sanctum the most widely distributed species (Kumar 2013). It sucks the cell sap from the leaves, causing them to curl, dry and drop off. In Malaysia similar damage, as well as wilting of tender shoots, was observed on Orthosiphon stamineus, a plant used for making herbal tea (Sajab & Peng 2010). Stonedahl et al. (1992) and Deckert & Gollner-Scheiding (2006) also mention R. officinalis (rosemary) and Salvia coccinia (sage) as hosts.

Ocimum L. (Lamiaceae) in Australia and Papua New Guinea

A review of the genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae) in the Papua New Guinea and Australia reveals the presence of five species and the natural hybrid, Ocimum africanum. Ocimum caryophyllinum F.Muell. is reinstated for much of the Australian plants previously included in the widespread O. tenuiflorum L. The other species recognized for Papua New Guinea and Australia are O. americanum, O. basilicum and O. gratissimum. An identification key, brief descriptions and distribution maps are provided for these taxa. An enumeration of collections examined is included.

Insecticidal potential of defense metabolites from Ocimum kilimandscharicum against Helicoverpa armigera.

Genus Ocimum contains a reservoir of diverse secondary metabolites, which are known for their defense and medicinal value. However, the defense-related metabolites from this genus have not been studied in depth. To gain deeper insight into inducible defense metabolites, we examined the overall biochemical and metabolic changes in Ocimum kilimandscharicum that occurred in response to the feeding of Helicoverpa armigera larvae. Metabolic analysis revealed that the primary and secondary metabolism of local and systemic tissues in O. kilimandscharicum was severely affected following larval infestation. Moreover, levels of specific secondary metabolites like camphor, limonene and β-caryophyllene (known to be involved in defense) significantly increased in leaves upon insect attack. Choice assays conducted by exposing H. armigera larvae on O. kilimandscharicum and tomato leaves, demonstrated that O. kilimandscharicum significantly deters larval feeding. Further, when larvae were fed on O. kilimandscharicum leaves, average body weight decreased and mortality of the larvae increased. Larvae fed on artificial diet supplemented with O. kilimandscharicum leaf extract, camphor, limonene and β-caryophyllene showed growth retardation, increased mortality rates and pupal deformities. Digestive enzymes of H. armigera - namely, amylase, protease and lipase- showed variable patterns after feeding on O. kilimandscharicum, which implies striving of the larvae to attain required nutrition for growth, development and metamorphosis. Evidently, selected metabolites from O. kilimandscharicum possess significant insecticidal activity.

Nucleotide based validation of Ocimum species by evaluating three candidate barcodes of the chloroplast region

The genus Ocimum comprises of several medicinally important species which frequently fall prey to adulteration due to misidentification. A proficient method is hence required to solve the problems that exist in differentiating its various morphotypes. In plants, candidate DNA barcodes of the chloroplast and nuclear regions have proved to be a great success in the validation of several plant families. Hence, this study involves the use of the molecular-based DNA barcoding method to identify some of the most common and useful species of the genus Ocimum (Tulsi). Here, DNA amplification of three candidate barcodes of the chloroplast genome viz. matK, rbcL and psbA-trnH was performed, to access their ability to produce high sequence variability. The discrimination among species was performed using the Kimura 2-parameter and maximum composite likelihood methods. On analysing the sequence data, the psbA-trnH region proved to be the most suitable candidate barcode and gave an overall variation of 7.3% at the interspecies level. A clear differentiation was found at the species level, showing a maximum distance of 0.264 between dissimilar species. Also, phylogenetic analysis led to the successful identification of hybrids, while it failed to do so at the variety level. Hence, it can be inferred that DNA barcoding is ideal for species-level identification of the genus Ocimum.

Comparison of the Physical Characteristics and GC/MS of the Essential Oils of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum sanctum

Essential oils of two medicinal plants of genus Ocimum, Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum sanctum, were compared for physical characteristics, iodine values, flavour tests, sodium/potassium levels and GC/MS. The density and refractive index (1.6368) of the essential oils of O. sanctum was more than that of O. basilicum essential oils. O. basilicum essential oils were dextro-rotatory, whereas, O. sanctum essential oils were levo-rotatory (-0.044o). Hydro-distillate of O. sanctum essential oil showed greater viscosity (26.75 g -1 .cm.s) and fluidity was found to be greater for O. basilicum hydro-distillate (0.070 g.cm -1 .s - 1 ). The results of the essential oils of both the plants were same for flavour substances tests. The sodium/potassium levels of methanol extract of both the plants were 0.01 ppm and for n-hexane extract it was 0.00 ppm. Iodine value was found to be greatest for the n-hexane fraction of O. basilicum (3375.54) Besides many other constituents, GC/MS analysis showed the presence of fluorene, benzonitrile, m-phenethyl-,9H-fluorene, 9-methylene-, propanamide, N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2,2- dimethyl- for the first time in the essential oils of both plants.

Polar secondary metabolites from Ocimum sanctum L.

The aim of this study was to investigate the polar constituents of Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae), which is used in ayurvedic medicine under the common name tulsi. In continuation to our previous studies [1 – 3], we now investigated the methanol: water (7:3) extract of its aerial parts. The extract was fractionated using RP18-MPLC, CC on Sephadex LH 20 (MeOH) and semi-prep RP18-HPLC and afforded trans-p-coumaric acid 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside; 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid; protocatechuic acid; (-)-rhabdosin, a caffeic acid tetramer with a lignan skeleton; the neolignan shimobashiric acid C, recently isolated from Keiskea japonica-Lamiaceae [4]; apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucuronide and luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucuronide. The structures of the isolated compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic methods, including 1D- & 2D-NMR, UV-Vis. Our results corroborate with literature concerning the flavonoid pattern. The genus Ocimum L. is divided in three subgenera: subgenus Ocimum (sections Ocimum, Gratissima and Hiantia), subgenus Nautochilus and subgenus Gymnocimum. O. sanctum L. belongs to the subgenus Gymnocimum, which is characterized by the presence of flavonoid glucuronides, totally absent in the taxa of the other two subgenera [5].

Changes in aroma profiles of 11 Indian Ocimum taxa during plant ontogeny

The genus Ocimum is an important source of many essential oils and aromatic chemicals used principally in the food and cosmetic industries. The aromas (compositions) of essential oils of genus Ocimum are characterized by a great chemical variability affecting the commercial value of this genus. This study was conducted to evaluate the ontogenic variations in aroma profiles of 11 Indian Ocimum taxa belonging to 5 Ocimum species, viz. O. basilicum L., O. americanum L., O. gratissimum L., O. tenuiflorum L., and O. kilimandscharicum Guerke, grown in foot hills of Uttarakhand, India during rain-autumn cropping season. Essential oil yield was found to vary significantly during different phenophases: from 0.34 to 0.87 % in four landraces of O. basilicum, 0.16 to 0.38 % in ‘Green and Purple’ of O. tenuiflorum, 0.23 to 0.43 % in O. americanum, 0.34 to 0.78 % in O. kilimandscharicum and 0.48 to 0.68 % in O. gratissimum. The variation in composition of the essential oils was analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Analyses of the essential oils led to the identification of 95 constituents forming 93.8–99.7 % of the total essential oil compositions, with phenyl propanoids (≤0.1–90.0 %) and monoterpenoids (2.8–95.5 %) as the prevalent components. Substantial variations in essential oil yield, and qualitative and quantitative compositions due to different stages of plants growth were noticed. These results indicated that the knowledge of appropriate growth stage is very important to obtain higher essential oil yield and desired active constituents of Ocimum, which were used extensively in food, cosmetics and allied industries.

Ocimum gratissimum retards breast cancer growth and progression and is a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases

Ocimum genus (a.k.a holy basil or tulsi) is a dietary herb used for its multiple beneficial pharmacologic properties including anti-cancer activity. Here we show that crude extract of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) and its hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions (HB and HL) differentially inhibit breast cancer cell chemotaxis and chemoinvasion in vitro and retard tumor growth and temporal progression of MCF10ADCIS.com xenografts, a model of human breast comedo-ductal carcinoma in situ (comedo-DCIS). OG-induced inhibition of tumor growth was associated with decreases in basement membrane disintegration, angiogenesis and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities as confirmed by in situ gelatin zymography and cleavage of galectin-3. There was also decrease in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the conditioned media of OG-treated MCF10AT1 and MCF10AT1-EIII8 premalignant human breast cancer cells as compared with control. The MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitory activities of OG were verified in vitro using gelatin, a synthetic fluorogenic peptide and recombinant galectin-3 as MMP substrates. Mice fed on OG-supplemented drinking water showed no adverse effects compared with control. These data suggest that OG is non-toxic and that the anti-cancer therapeutic activity of OG may in part be contributed by its MMP inhibitory activity.

Wood anatomy and taxonomy of members of the genus Ocimum L. (Lamiaceae) and a variety in Nigeria

Wood anatomy and taxonomy of members of the genus Ocimum L. (Lamiaceae) and a variety in Nigeria

Epigenetic Variations in Plant Hybrids and Their Potential Roles in Heterosis

The genus Ocimum is a boutique of a diverse set of specialized metabolites such as terpenoids and phenylpropanoids. Each Ocimum species and its cultivars represent a characteristic chemical profile. The present study explored the two interspecific Ocimum hybrids originating through a serendipitous natural cross between O. kilimandscharicum and O. basilicum. These two novel Ocimum hybrids exhibited intermediate morphological features of two parental species. Inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis and DNA barcoding with the plastid non-coding trnH-psbA intergenic spacer region reaffirmed unambiguous parental identification and differentiation of these natural hybrids from other available Ocimum species. Consequently, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling of two hybrids identified them as specific chemotypes with the presence of a unique blend of specialized metabolites from the parental species, which are either rich in terpenes or phenylpropanoids. Additionally, expression analysis of key genes from terpenoid and phenylpropanoid pathways corroborated with differential metabolite accumulation. Thus, these two Ocimum hybrids represented the novel chemotypes, which could be useful in commercial cultivation to produce novel essential oil and bioactive constituents. Further, the resulting metabolite diversity could have potential industrial applications in the areas of healthcare, bioremediation, and crop protection.

Effects of Ocimum spp. essential oil on Monilinia laxa in vitro

One of the most important postharvest diseases of peach and nectarine is brown rot caused by the fungus Monilinia laxa. Increasing concern related to the toxic effect of the pesticide residues on fruits has enhanced the interest for the control of postharvest pathogenic fungi using biologically active constituents of plants such as essential oils. Species from genus Ocimum are known to possess essential oils with antifungal and fungicidal properties. The present paper reports the results of essential oil composition of four basil taxa and preliminary screening of their antifungal activity against M. laxa. The greatest effectiveness was achieved by the essential oils from Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens and Ocimum tenuiflorum, whose activity was high throughout the testing period of twenty-three days.

Comparative study on some selected species of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Ocimum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; genus on free radical scavenging activity and hepatoprotective activity against CCl4 induced intoxication in rats

In this study, we compared the in vitro antioxidant property among the selected Ocimum species (O. sanctum, O. americanum, O. basilicum and O. gratissimum) and hepatoprotective activities of their extracts against CCl4 induced intoxication. The results suggested that the four species of Ocimum genus showed variability in Phenolic content and in vitro antioxi-dant activity against DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in the following manner: O. sanctum > O. americanum > O. basilicum > O. gratissimum respec-tively. Based on serum AST, ALT, ALP and T. Bil levels, the alcoholic extracts of Ocimum species showed a significant dose dependent (250 mg and 500 mg and 750 mg/kg p.o.) and a protective effect against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. The results further revealed that the potential hepatoprotective activity of Ocimum sanctum among the Ocimum species.

English

Since ages, many plants have been used for preservative and medicinal purposes due to the presence of secondary metabo- lites referred as Phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are biologically active plant compounds having disease hampering capabilities and preservative action. The genus Ocimum contains more than 200 species of herbs and shrubs which have been shown to have medicinal properties and also are used as a culinary herb, preservative and flavoring agents. In this study methanol extracts from the leaves of Ocimum species (O. sanctum purple, O. sanctum green, O. gratissimum, O. basilicum and Camphor basil) were investigated for their phytochemical constituent and antioxidant activity. Also, six extracts (Ethanol, Methanol, Propanol, Chloroform, Petroleum Ether and Iso- amyl alcohol) were assayed to test their ability to inhibit the clinically isolated Enterobacteria (S. pneumoniae, Proteus sp., E. faecalis, S. typhi, S. aureus and B. subtilis). The Ocimum sp. were screened for the presence of phenolic content, glycosides, anthraquinones, terpe- noids, proteins, flavinoids, tannins, lignin and Saponins. The test results were positive for all Phytochemicals in methanolic extracts of Ocimum sp. The antioxidant activity was measured by reducing power assay, 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and Thiobarbi- turic acid (TBA) which showed positive. In the antimicrobial assay studies O. gratissimum and O. basilicum showed maximum antibacteri- al activity compared to other species with maximum activity in isoamyl alcohol extract. The Present investigation suggests that the phyto- chemical content and its antioxidant properties can be further studied for its application in health and in food industries. Furthermore, these species can be used as a source of novel drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms.

Comparative Analysis of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum sanctum: Extraction Techniques and Urease and alpha-Amylase inhibition

In the present work, two important medicinal plants of genus Ocimum, O. basilicum and O.sanctum have been compared in a number of phytochemical parameters. Effect of extraction techniques, solvent extraction, Soxhlet extraction and hydro-distillation, on the yield in different solvents have been investigated. Hydro-distillation gave a better yield of more volatile components than hexane fraction of the other two techniques. Both the plants showed good urease inhibitory activity. Hydro-distillate was stronger inhibitor than hexane or methanolic extracts of solvent or Soxhlet extractions. The extracts of O. basilicumshowed a greater urease activity than extracts of O. sanctum.Alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of O. basilicum was also higher than that of O. sanctum. Notably, the synergistic effect of the extracts of the two plants was much higher than their individual efficacy against alphaamylase. The activity decreased with decrease in concentration. Both the species had almost equal air pollution tolerance index (APTI) with O. basilicum(10.558) having slightly higher value than O. sanctum (9.202).Both plants contained alkaloids and phenolics. Both the plants also had almost same nutritional values.