Oil Ocimum Research Articles

Essential oils of Ocimum basilicum L., O. basilicum. var. minimum L. and O. basilicum. var. purpurascens Benth. grown in north‐eastern Brazil

AbstractOcimum basilicum L. occurs everywhere in several forms, varieties and chemotypes whose essential oils presents marked variation on chemical composition. A new analysis of O. basilicum, O. basilicum var. minimum L. and O. basilicum var. purpuracens Benth. growing in north‐eastern Brazil showed that O. basilicum var. minimum represented a true estragole chemotype, while the other two species analysed may be considered linalool chemotypes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The formulation of an effective topical antibacterial product containing Ocimum gratissimum leaf essential oil

The antibacterial potential of Ocimum gratissimum essential oil was explored. Liquid and semisolid formulations of the oil were designed in a variety of bases for topical antiseptic medication. The products were evaluated by agar diffusion assay against type strains and clinical isolates from boil, wo und and pimples. Remarkable antibacterial effects, higher than those of commercial antiseptic products, were demonstrated at 2% Ocimum oil concentration in some bases. The properties of base into which the oil was incorporated affected its activity. It was more effective in hydrophilic bases than in lipophilic bases. Solubilization and microemulsification grossly reduced its activit y.

Preliminary Clinical Tests on Topical Preparations of Ocimum gratissimum Linn Leaf Essential Oil for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

Objective This study was designed to determine the clinically effective concentration and most appropriate base for a topical Ocimum oil formulation in the management of acne vulgaris.

The formulation of an effective topical antibacterial product containing Ocimumgratissimum leaf essential oil

The antibacterial potential of Ocimum gratissimum essential oil was explored. Liquid and semisolid formulations of the oil were designed in a variety of bases for topical antiseptic medication. The products were evaluated by agar diffusion assay against type strains and clinical isolates from boil, wound and pimples. Remarkable antibacterial effects, higher than those of commercial antiseptic products, were demonstrated at 2% Ocimum oil concentration in some bases. The properties of base into which the oil was incorporated affected its activity. It was more effective in hydrophilic bases than in lipophilic bases. Solubilization and microemulsification grossly reduced its activity.

Efficacy of essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. and O. gratissimum L. applied as an insecticidal fumigant and powder to control Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) [Coleoptera: Bruchidae

Essential oils from sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, and African basil, O. gratissimum, (Labiatae) grown in Guinea were obtained by steam distillation. Following exposure of newly emerged adult beetles ( Callosobruchus maculatus) to 12 h of fumigation using pure essential oils at a dose of 25 μl/vial, 80% mortality was recorded for O. basilicum, 70% for O. gratissimum and 0% in the control. A significant difference was observed between the responses of males and females with males exhibiting greater sensitivity. When 1 g of aromatized powder was applied to adults, a 50% lethal concentration at 48 h was found to be 65 μl/g for O. basilicum and 116 μl/g of O. gratissimum oils. The essential oils from the two plant species exhibited a significant effect both on the egg hatch rate and on the emergence of adults. The egg hatch rate was reduced to 3% with O. basilicum and 15% with O. gratissimum using an essential oil concentration of 30 μl, whereas the egg hatch rate for the control was 95%. When compared with the control (97%), adult emergence dropped to 0% with O. basilicum and to 4% with O. gratissimum. Storage bioassays were run to assess the long-term effect of powders aromatized with essential oils of Ocimum. Complete protection was observed over 3 months starting at a dose of 400 μl in the case of both oils. From a germination test, it was concluded that aromatized powders have no significant effect on the seed germination rate. After 5 d, a rate of 88% germination was seen in seeds treated with aromatized powder and protected from insects, compared with 97% for untreated seeds that were not exposed to insects.

Studies on the essential oil bearing plants of Bangladesh. Part VI. Composition of the oil ofOcimum gratissimum L.

The composition of the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum L. obtained from plants originating from Bangladesh and from plants introduced into Bangladesh from India is reported. The oil obtained from plants native of Bangladesh can be classified as thymol-type according to its thymol content (58.2%), while the oil obtained from plants introduced from India can be classified as eugenol/ocimene type according to its content of eugenol (66.5%) and ocimenes (18.9%). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enantiomeric composition of linalol in the essential oils ofOcimum species and in commercial basil oils

The amount and the enantiomeric composition of linalol were determined in the essential oils of seven chemotypes of Ocimum basilicum L., in the oils of O. sanctum L., O. gratissimum L. and O. canum Sims. of Thai origin, and in commercial basil oils. The linalol isolated from cultivars of O. basilicum L., of various origins, and from commercial basil oils consisted of (R)(-)-linalol and was proved to be optically pure in most cases. In essential oils of O. sanctum L. and O. canum Sims., (S)(+)-linalol was the main enantiomer. Thus, the enantiomeric differentiation of linalol may be helpful in interspecific taxonomy in the genus Ocimum.

The effect of photoperiodism on the growth and the essential oil ofOcimum basilicum (Sweet Basil)

Ocimum basilicum var.citriodora plants were grown in July and August under 9 hours of daylight, outdoors, plus 0 to 15 hours of fluorescent light (125 fc), indoors. The overground portion of the plants was harvested when they were in bloom and subjected to Clevenger distillation. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Flower development was most rapid when the plants were exposed to 18 hours of light daily. The greatest yield in herb was obtained under 24 hours of light; for photoperiods of 15 to 18 hours the yield was slightly lower, but the plants reached harvesting state 10 days earlier. The oil was resolved in 19 components, 8 of which were identified. The percentage of each of these components was affected differently by the photoperiods used in this experiment.

A study of the oils of Ocimum basilicum and Cardaria repens

The seed oils of the plantsOcimum basilicum andCardaria repens have been studied. Their physico-chemical properties and fatty acid and glyceride compositions have been determined. Both oils contain a hydroxy acid of undetermined structure. The oil ofOcimum basilicum contains an unusual trienic acid.

Chemical examination of the essential oil ofOcimum Sanctum Linn.

1. The essential oil ofOcimum Sanctum Linn. orTulsi, is a pale yellow oil obtained from the leaves of the plant in an yield of 0·7 per cent. by steam distillation. 2. The oil has the characteristic odour of the leaves together with a strong note of cloves and is strongly phenolic in nature. 3. The oil was resolved into phenolic and non-phenolic constituents by aqueous sodium hydroxide, and from the phenolic portion, carvacrol and eugenol were definitely isolated and identified. From the non-phenolic portion, eugenol methyl ether was definitely identified, and the presence of caryophyllene was tentatively shown. 4. The essential oil ofTulsi contains over 71 per cent. of eugenol and 20 per cent. of eugenol methyl ether together with about 3 per cent. of carvacrol. As it is, the oil is an excellent source of eugenol which is used in the preparation of vanillin.