Gas Chromatographic Profiling and Characterization of Essential Oils from Ocimum tenuiflorum

Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil) is an important medicinal herb extensively employed across traditional healing systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani due to its wide range of therapeutic benefits. In the present research, essential oils were obtained from the entire plant including leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds through steam distillation. The extracted oil underwent detailed evaluation using qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening, physicochemical tests, and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Preliminary phytochemical tests confirmed the presence of key constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, terpenoids, and glycosides. Quantitative analysis revealed total phenolic content of 1.61%, flavonoids at 1.56%, and alkaloids at 0.91%. GC-FID analysis identified 24 chemical constituents in the essential oil, with eugenol being predominant (83.08%), followed by citronellol, sabinene, and carvacrol. These compounds are known to exhibit significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study supports the pharmacological relevance of O. tenuiflorum and offers a scientific basis for its traditional applications and further exploration in pharmaceutical industries.