Extraction and analysis of chemical composition of Ocimum gratissimum L essential oil in the North of Vietnam

Abstract

Abstract Ocimum gratissimum L. is a fragrant plant of the Lamiaceae family. O. gratissimum has been used in folk medicine, cosmetics, and food industry. In this study, herbs of O. gratissimum were collected in the summer in Northern Vietnam and extracted for essential oils by hydrodistillation, followed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The efficiency of essential oil extraction was 0.2258% ± 0.0735. According to the analysis results, twenty-seven components were identified. The main ingredients include Eugenol (65.135%), Ocimene <(Z) -b-> (7.20%), Caryophyllene <E-> (6.64%), and Germacrene D (12.03%). This result suggests that the O. gratissimum essential oil is a potential source of antimicrobial, preservative and flavoring agent.