Ocimum Gratissimum
Ocimum gratissimum, also known as clove basil, African basil, and in Hawaii as wild basil, is a species of basil.
It is native to Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, and the Bismarck Archipelago, and naturalized in Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, West Indies, Brazil, and Bolivia.
| African basil | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Ocimum |
| Species: | O. gratissimum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ocimum gratissimum | |
Other names
O. gratissimum is a common culinary herb in West Africa and is used by some in the Caribbean, going by many local names, even in the Indian subcontinent.
- Ebe-amwonkho in Edo
- Tchayo in Fon
- Dogosui in Ewe
- Efirin in Yoruba
- Tamwṍtswã́gi in Nupe
- Ajuntita in Ikwerre
- Nchanwu in Igbo
- Kpan-sroh in (Irigwe language)
- Añyeba in Igala
- Daidoya in Hausa
- Nchuanwu also Arimu in Igbo
- Ntong in Ibibio, Efik
- Kunudiri in Kirikeni Okuein
- Nunum in Akan
- Nunu Bush in Jamaica (from the Akan language)
- Yerba di holé in Papiamento
- Fobazen in Haiti
- Scent leaves in Nigeria (the standardised Nigerian English rendering) and in the African diaspora
- Mujaaja in Uganda
- Vaayinta (వాయింట) in Telugu
- Maduruthala in Sri Lanka මදුරුතලා
- Kattutulasi(കാട്ടുതുളസി), Kattu Thrithaav (കാട്ടു തൃത്താവ്) in Kerala
- Bai yeera in Thai ใบยี่หร่า
- Rehani in Georgian რეჰანი
- Van Tulsi (વન તુલસી) in Gujarati
- Tomka leaf (তোমকা/তোমহা পাতা) in chittagoneon Bangla
- Awromangnrin in Baoulé
- 'Kungurekwu u tamen in Tiv
- Nchuanwu in Igbo language
- ደማከሴ (Demakese) in Ethiopia
Uses
In Nigeria, scent leave is used in making pepper soup, local rice, beans, plantain, even regular soup, and other delicacies.
Seed germination
Seeds seem to need strong sunlight to germinate, although germination has been achieved even during an average UK summer.
Phytochemical compounds
The phytochemicals present in Ocimum gratissimum contains polyphenols such as Gallic acid, Rosmanol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids such as Nepetrin, Quercetin, Rutin,
Catechin, and also alkaloids and terpenoids. Naringin, uteolin, Apigenin, Nepetoidin, Nevadensin, Hymenoxin, Salvigenin, Apigenin, 7,4,′-dimethyl ether, Basilimoside, 2alpha, 3 beta-Dihydroxyolean- 12en-28-oic acid, Methyl acetate, Oleanolic acid
Pharmacology of extracts and essential oils
The essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum contains eugenol and shows some evidence of antibacterial activity. The essential oil has potential for use as a food preservative, and is toxic to Leishmania.
Insect repellent
O. gratissimum repels the thrips Thrips tabaci, and so is a useful insect repellent in other crops.
References
External links
- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Ocimum gratissimum". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
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