1Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Aksum University, Axum, Ethiopia
2Department of Medicine, Texila American University, Lilayi, Lusaka, Zambia
3Department of Microbiology, St. Ann's College for Women, Malkapuram, Visakhapatnam, A.P., India
4Research and Development, Centre for Computational and Biological Sciences (CCBS), 48-12-17, Srinagar, Near RTC Complex, Visakhapatnam - 530016, Andhra Pradesh, India
5Department of Pharmacognosy, Jagrani Devi Pharmacy College, Baradwar, Shakti, Chhattisgarh, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: zenebehagos.2003@gmail.com
Online published on 13 June, 2024.
Plant-derived medicines offer a safer alternative to synthetic options, providing significant therapeutic benefits and more economical treatment options. This study aimed to assess the physicochemical characteristics, chemical composition, and antioxidant properties of the essential oil extracted from Ocimum basilicum L. leaves harvested in Wukro. The oil was obtained using the hydrodistillation method, and its chemical composition was analyzed using GC-MS. various parameters including density, specific gravity, pH, boiling point, refractive index, acid value, saponification value, and ester value were considered. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, NO inhibition, and OH free radical assays. The yield of oil was determined to be 0.14±0.016%, with GC-MS identifying 30 compounds. Major components included eugenol (32.69%), Octadecatrienoic acid (12.00%), and ethylisoallcholate (9.25%). Antioxidant activity increased with higher concentrations of the essential oil, suggesting synergistic effects among its components. These findings support the potential use of the essential oil as a natural source of antioxidants.
Essential oil, Ocimum basilicum L., Chemical composition, GC-MS, Antioxidant
