A Review on Phytochemistry and Therapeutic Applications of Ocimum gratissimum L.

Review Article

Abstract

Ocimum gratissimum L. (Lamiaceae), widely recognized as African basil or clove basil, is an aromatic perennial subshrub extensively utilized in ethnomedicine across tropical and subtropical regions. The plant exhibits a diverse phytochemical matrix predominantly composed of volatile monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and complex polyphenolic derivatives. Major secondary metabolites include eugenol, linalool, 1,8-cineole, thymol, rosmarinic acid, and ursolic acid, the proportions of which vary across distinct environmental and geographic chemotypes. Past literature indicate broad-spectrum bioactivities, including antimicrobial actions against clinical and agricultural pathogens, selective antiparasitic effects against Leishmania species and veterinary nematodes, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mitigation of oxidative cellular damage, and enzymatic inhibition of aldose reductase linked to diabetic pathologies. In oncological models, bioactive extracts modulate critical signaling cascades, downregulate repair proteins such as BRCA1, and enhance chemosensitivity. Protective interventions with botanical fractions attenuate chemically induced organ toxicity and restore biochemical and reproductive indices in animal models. The ethnobotanical applications and pharmacological evidence show that O. gratisssimum can be a viable source for standardized phytotherapeutic agents and lead bioactive molecules