Essential Oils VIII. Volatile Constituents of the Leaves of Ocimum viride

Abstract

Qualitative and quantitative analytical studies of the steam volatile oil from the leaves of the medicinal plant - Ocimum viride, were undertaken by means of gas chromatography (GC) and computerised GC-MS. The essential oil comprised of twenty-eight components and thymol was isolated as the major constituent (47.98%).

Other nineteen mono- and sesquiterpenoids were also identified and thirteen of these have not been previously reported as constituents of O. viride essential oil. On chemical grounds, the Nigerian grown Ocimum viride is not synonymous with Ocimum gratissimum L.