Project Materials

PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE CHLOROFORM EXTRACT OF OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM PLANT (SCENT LEAF)

ABSTRACT

Many plants have been utilised for preservation and medicine throughout history because to the presence of secondary metabolites known as phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are physiologically active plant molecules that can prevent disease and function as a preservative. The genus Ocimum encompasses about 200 herb and shrub species with therapeutic characteristics as well as culinary herbs, preservatives, and flavouring compounds. In this work, chloroform extracts from the leaves of Ocimumgratissimum were tested for phytochemical constituents (both quantitative and qualitative) and antioxidant activity. GCMS analysis was performed to determine the particular amount and active component contained in the leaf sample. The extract was examined for the presence of phenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. The test findings were positive for all phytochemicals, saponin, and phytosterols that were missing qualitatively. The ferric reducing power assay was used to determine antioxidant activity, as well as the concentrations of total flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and phenols. The GC-MS analysis of the leaf sample revealed the presence of thymol, alpha-carophyllene, and phenol. The current study shows that the phytochemical content and antioxidant characteristics might be explored further for potential applications in health and food industries. Furthermore, this plant has the potential to yield novel drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms.

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study.

Plants have great versatility in synthesising complex compounds that serve no clear growth or metabolic purposes. These complicated materials are known as secondary metabolites. Plant secondary metabolites are now referred to as phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring, physiologically active plant components with the ability to suppress disease. Because of their antioxidant properties, phytochemicals are thought to be useful in disease prevention and treatment (Halliwell and Gutteridge, 1992; Farombi et al., 1998).

Antioxidants (in vivo) protect other molecules from oxidation when exposed to free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which have been linked to the aetiology of many diseases as well as food deterioration and spoilage (Halliwell and Gutteridge, 1992; Kasaikina, 1997; Farombi, 2000; Koleva et al., 2000).

Medicinal herbs were used for centuries before to the introduction of mainstream medicine. Herbal medications can contain leaves, flowers, stems, roots, seeds, fruits, and bark.

The medicinal properties of these plants are derived from their phytochemical components, which have specific physiological effects on the human body.

The most important phytochemicals include alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic substances (Hill 1952). Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Labiatae) is grown for its leaves and stems, which contain essential oils.

Eugenol, thymol, citral, geraniol, and linalool have been isolated from the oil (Sulistiarini, 1999). Essential oils from the plant have been shown to exhibit a wide range of antifungal effects (Dubey et al., 2000).

The antinociceptive properties of the plant’s essential oil have been described (Rabelo et al., 2003). The whole plant and its essential oil are utilised in traditional medicine, particularly in Africa and India. The essential oil is also an effective insect repellent.

O. gratissimum is germicidal (Nakamura et al., 1999; Pessoa et al., 2003; Holets et al., 2003) and has been widely used in toothpastes, mouthwashes, and topical ointments. It is used as a good gargle for sore throats and tonsillitis.

It also functions as an expectorant and cough suppressant. The plant extract is used to treat gastrointestinal helminths in both animals and humans. In addition, O. gratissimum’s carminative qualities make it an excellent choice for unsettled stomach.

It is used as an emetic and to treat haemorrhoids. The plant has also been used to cure rheumatism, paralysis, epilepsy, high fever, diarrhoea, sunstroke, influenza, gonorrhoea, and mental disease (Dhawan et al., 1977; Oliver, 1980; Abdulrahman, 1992; Osifo 1992; Sofowora, 1993; Sulistiarini 1999). The herb is also used as a spice and condiment in southern Nigeria.

Medicinal plant-based medications have the advantage of being simple, efficacious, and possessing broad-spectrum activity. The renewal of interest in the usage and value of African medical plants by WHO and many developing nations has resulted in increased efforts to document ethnomedical data from therapeutic initiatives.

This is because most traditional healers retain no records and pass on their knowledge primarily verbally from generation to generation.

Researchers are increasingly turning to natural products in quest of new possibilities for developing better cancer, viral, and microbial treatments. The phytochemical analysis of Ocimum gratissimum reveals that it is high in alkaloid, tannins, phytates, flavonoids, and oligosaccharides (Ijeh et al., 2004).

In Nigeria’s coastal area, the plant Ocimum gratissimum is used to treat epilepsy, high fever, and diarrhoea (Sofowora, 1993; Ladipo et al., 2010).

The herb Ocimum gratissimum is well-known for its medicinal and nutritional properties. It is a perennial plant that is extensively distributed in the tropics of Africa and Asia.

It belongs to the Family Labiatae and it is the most abundant of the genus Ocimum. The plant is commonly known as Basil Fever plant or Tea bush, and its vernacular names include Daidoya tagida (Hausa), Nichonwu (Igbo), Tanmotswangiwawagi (Nupe), and Efinrin (Yoruba) (Abdullahi et al., 2003; Idris et al., 2011).

The current study is to phytochemical components and antioxidant activities of the choloroprom extract of the ocimum gratissium plant (scent leaf).