@article{Gebrehiwot_Bachetti_Dekebo_2016, title={Chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of leaves of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) herb}, volume={4}, url={https://www.ijbcp.com/index.php/ijbcp/article/view/193}, DOI={10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20150858}, abstractNote={<p class="ABS"><span class="Bold"><span lang="EN-US">Background:</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> Leaves and flowering parts of <span class="Italic">Ocimum basilicum</span> are believed to be rich of different phytochemicals and are traditionally used as antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, galactogogue, stomachic, and tonic agents. Hence<span class="Italic">,</span> the study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of the leaves of sweet basil (<span class="Italic">O. basilicum</span>) herb.</span></p><p class="ABS"><span class="Bold"><span lang="EN-US">Methods:</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> The leaf extract was used for screening of phytochemicals. A small amount of the powdered leaves of the plant was subjected to hydrodistillation to extract the essential oil, and the components of the essential oil were evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy instrument. The extract was tested <span class="Italic">in vitro </span>for its antibacterial activity against two bacteria;<span class="Italic"> Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus </span>and antifungal activity against two fungi; <span class="Italic">Aspergillus niger </span>and <span class="Italic">Rhizoctonia bataticola </span>by paper disc diffusion method.</span></p><p class="ABS"><span class="Bold"><span lang="EN-US">Results:</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> Results revealed the presence of many phytochemicals such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, cholesterol, terpernoids, glycosides, phenols, cardiac glycosides, carbohydrates, and phlobatannins. The essential oil extracted from the leaves of <span class="Italic">O. basilicum</span> was found to have estragole (38.22%) as a major constituent followed by 1-isopropyl-4-methylenecyclohex-1-ene (11.10%). Tests of antimicrobial activity showed that the hydrodistilled oil was effective against all the tested bacterial and fungal strains. However, the crude extract was found not to have antimicrobial activity toward the tested bacteria and fungi.</span></p><p class="ABS"><span class="Bold"><span lang="EN-US">Conclusion:</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> So, the study has showed that the observed antimicrobial effect of <span class="Italic">O. basilicum</span> essential oil on the bacterial and fungal isolate, though <span class="Italic">in vitro</span> appear interesting and promising. So, emphasize have to made on the antimicrobial activities of the plant during the time of drug extraction.</span></p>}, number={5}, journal={International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology}, author={Gebrehiwot, Hadush and Bachetti, R. K. and Dekebo, Aman}, year={2016}, month={Dec.}, pages={869–875} }