Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from Western Ghats of North West Karnataka, India

The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from the Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India, exhibits strong bactericidal properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi. The oil's chemical composition is dominated by methyl eugenol (39.3%) and methyl chavicol (38.3%), which together account for 98.6% of its total content. These compounds demonstrate minimal bactericidal concentrations ranging from 0.143 ± 0.031 to 1.875 ± 0.684 mg/mL, highlighting the oil's potential as a natural antimicrobial agent. The study employed hydro-distillation followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to analyze the oil, alongside tube-dilution assays to assess its antimicrobial efficacy.

Joshi, R. (2014). Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from Western Ghats of North West Karnataka, India. Ancient Science of Life, 33(3), 151. https://doi.org/10.4103/0257-7941.144618