Ocimum gratissimum

African basil
In Hawaii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Ocimum
Species:
O. gratissimum
Binomial name
Ocimum gratissimum

Ocimum gratissimum, also known as African basil, clove basil, East Indian basil, Russian basil, shrubby basil, tree basil, and in Hawaii as wild basil, is a species of basil. It is native to Africa (including Madagascar) and southern Asia and introduced to Mexico, Panama, the West Indies, Brazil, Bolivia and the Pacific.

Uses

In Nigeria, scent leaves are used in making pepper soup, local rice, beans, plantains, even regular soup, and other delicacies.

Seed germination

Seeds seem to need strong sunlight to germinate, although germination has been achieved even during an average UK summer.

Phytochemical compounds

The phytochemicals present in Ocimum gratissimum are polyphenols such as gallic acid, rosmanol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids such as nepetrin, quercetin, rutin, catechin, and also alkaloids and terpenoids. Also present are naringin, uteolin, nepetoidin, nevadensin, hymenoxin, salvigenin, apigenin, apigenin-7,4',-dimethyl ether, basilimoside, 2-alpha,3-beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, methyl acetate, and oleanolic acid.

Pharmacology of extracts and essential oils

The essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum contains eugenol and shows some evidence of antibacterial activity. The essential oil has potential for use as a food preservative, and is toxic to Leishmania.

Insect repellent

Ocimum gratissimum repels the thrips Thrips tabaci, and so is a useful insect repellent in other crops.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ocimum gratissimum L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  2. ↑ PLANTS Profile for Ocimum gratissimum | USDA Plants, Retrieved Jan. 7, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Ocimum gratissimum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
  4. ↑ Ocimum gratissimum - Wild Basil (Lamiaceae). Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)
  5. ↑ Influence of light, temperature and gibberellic acid on the germination of Ocimum gratissimum L. (Lamiaceae) seeds and evaluation of physiological quality by the X-ray test Martins J.R., Alvarenga A.A., Castro E.M., Batista L.A., Silva A.P.O. Revista Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais 2008 10:2 (44-49)
  6. ↑ Islam, Md. Torequl; de Alencar, Marcus Vinícius Oliveira Barros; da Conceição Machado, Katia; da Conceição Machado, Keylla; de Carvalho Melo-Cavalcante, Ana Amélia; de Sousa, Damiao Pergentino; de Freitas, Rivelilson Mendes (2015). "Phytol in a pharma-medico-stance". Chemico-Biological Interactions. 240. Elsevier BV: 60–73. doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2015.07.010. ISSN 0009-2797. PMID 26296761. S2CID 29821324.Venuprasad, M.P.; Kumar Kandikattu, Hemanth; Razack, Sakina; Khanum, Farhath (May 2014). "Phytochemical analysis of Ocimum gratissimum by LC-ESI–MS/MS and its antioxidant and anxiolytic effects". South African Journal of Botany. 92: 151–158. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2014.02.010.
  7. ↑ Chemical composition, antibacterial activity in vitro and brine-shrimp toxicity of the essential oil from inflorescences of Ocimum gratissimum L., Lamiaceae Silva L.L., Heldwein C.G., Reetz L.G.B., Hörner R., Mallmann C.A., Heinzmann B.M. [In Process] Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy 2010 20:5 (700-705)
  8. ↑ Celso Vataru Nakamura, Tania Ueda-Nakamura, Erika Bando, Abrahão Fernandes Negrão Melo, Díogenes Aparício Garcia Cortez, Benedito Prado Dias Filho, "Antibacterial Activity of Ocimum gratissimum L. Essential Oil", Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Vol. 94(5): 675-678.
  9. ↑ Justification for the use of Ocimum gratissimum L in herbal medicine and its interaction with disc antibiotics Nweze E.I., Eze E.E. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2009 9 (37) Article Number 1472
  10. ↑ Nutritional and antimicrobial properties of Ocimum gratissimum leaves Oboh F.O.J., Madsodje H.I., Enabulele S.A. Journal of Biological Sciences 2009 9:4 (377-380)
  11. ↑ Food preservative potential of essential oils and fractions from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Thymus vulgaris against mycotoxigenic fungi Nguefack J., Dongmo J.B.L., Dakole C.D., Leth V., Vismer H.F., Torp J., Guemdjom E.F.N., Mbeffo M., Tamgue O., Fotio D., Zollo P.H.A., Nkengfack A.E. International Journal of Food Microbiology 2009 131:2-3 (151-156)
  12. ↑ Effects of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf., Lippia sidoides Cham., and Ocimum gratissimum L. on growth and ultrastructure of Leishmania chagasi promastigotes Oliveira V.C.S., Moura D.M.S., Lopes J.A.D., De Andrade P.P., Da Silva N.H., Figueiredo R.C.B.Q. Parasitology Research 2009 104:5 (1053-1059)
  13. ↑ Kirk, William D. J.; de Kogel, Willem Jan; Koschier, Elisabeth H.; Teulon, David A. J. (2021-01-07). "Semiochemicals for Thrips and Their Use in Pest Management". Annual Review of Entomology. 66 (1). Annual Reviews: 101–119. doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-022020-081531. ISSN 0066-4170. PMID 33417819. S2CID 231304158.