1National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, 12, Regent Park, Kolkata-700 040, India
2Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Ranchi-834 010, India
3Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, India
*Corresponding author E-mail: deb_iari@rediffmail.com
Online published on 25 July, 2013.
Essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation of Ocimum sanctum L. plant herbage and investigated by GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil of Ocimum sanctum afforded eugenol as a major constituent (55.32%) followed by sesquiterpene alcohols (26.46%), methyl isoeugenol (10.22%), caryophyllene (8.26%) and linalool (8.23%). Other compounds present in the oil was in traces are phellandrene (1.24%), limonene (0.71%) and α- pinene (0.38%). Antifungal activity of the oil was carried out against two fungal species Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporium. The oil exhibited moderate activity against the test fungi showing complete inhibition of their mycelial growth. The minimum inhibitory concentration of ocimum oil was found to be 250 μg g−1 against R. solani and 500 μg g−1 against F. oxysporium.
Antifungal activity, Ocimum sanctum, Essential oil, terpenes, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporium
