Basil is an aromatic plant in the Lamiaceae family that is known to contain many antioxidants. The herb’s essential oil also has antioxidant properties with potential applications as a nutritional supplement and food preservative. This study compares the phenolic content and antioxidant capacities of fifteen commercially available essential oils extracted from basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), holy basil (O. sanctum), and African basil (O. gratissimum). Total phenolic content of the essential oils was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and antioxidant capacity was determined by the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. Chromatography was used to identify the chemical composition of each essential oil and to quantify the concentration of eugenol, a phenylpropene with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Substantial differences in the total phenolic content of the essential oils were found, with values ranging from 858.2 to 7.348 x 105 mg/L GAE (gallic acid equivalents). Initial results indicate considerable variation in the phenolic content and antioxidant properties of basil essential oils from different manufacturers.

Phenolic content and antioxidant properties of fifteen commercially available basil essential oils

2019 Spring National Meeting

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