Determination of Seasonal Variation of Volatile Organic Constituents of the Leaves of Traditional Herb Ocimum sanctum Linn

In the traditional system of medicine Ocimum sanctum Linn. is used to cure diseases like dysentery, bronchitis, malaria, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, arthritis, skin diseases, painful eye chronic fever. The essential oil obtained by using hydrodistillation leaves (purple variety) collected throughout 1 y and analyzed employing gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector connected mass spectrometry. yield varied in range from 0.14 0.21 % (w/w). 23 39 constituents were identified which represented 95.39±0.38 total oil. most abundant compound was as methyl eugenol an average 69.88±0.09 varying quantities 55.48±0.36 76.78±0.54 %. other beta-caryophyllene 10.40±0.06 %, alpha-ylangene 4.18±0.04 gamma-muurolene 3.64±0.04 borneol 2.02±0.01 found be rich phenylpropanoid (71.98±0.27 %) type (average 12 mo). A high amount (76.78±0.54 observed during November while low (55.48±0.36 April. It noticed that when plant matured April accumulation sesquiterpenes increased phenylpropanoids decreased.