Scientific Research and Essays Vol. 2 (5), 163-166, May 2007          
ISSN 1992-2248 © 2007 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phytochemical constituent and antioxidant activity of extract from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum

Afolabi C. Akinmoladun¹*, E. O. Ibukun¹, Emmanuel Afor ¹, E. M. Obuotor ² and E.O. Farombi ³

¹Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

²Department of Biochemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

³Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: akinmoladunfc@gmail.com.

Accepted 13 April, 2007

Extracts from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum were investigated for phytochemical constituent and antioxidant activity. Tests for tannins, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides were positive in both methanolic and aqueous extracts. The methanolic extract of O. gratissimum had a DPPH scavenging activity of 84.6% at 250 µg/ml and a reductive potential of 0.77 at 100 µg/ml. These values were comparable with those of gallic acid, 91.4% at 250 µg/ml and ascorbic acid, 0.79 at 60 µg/ml as standards for DPPH scavenging activity and reductive potential, respectively. These findings suggest that the rich phytochemical content of O. gratissimum and its good antioxidant activity may be responsible for its popular and wide traditional use.

Key words: Ocimum gratissimum, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity and reductive potential.