Preliminary Phytochemical Studies and Antibacterial Activity of Ocimum sanctum L

Issued 15 December 2008 Abstract Ocimum sanctum, commonly known as ‘Sacred basil’ or ‘Holy basil’, is grown as a household plant in India. This preliminary phytochemical study was carried out in acetone, benzene and chloroform extracts and the results showed the presence of numerous phytochemical compounds. The antibacterial activity was analyzed using four different bacterial strains (E.coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia) by using agar disc diffusion method. Our bacterial assay revealed that the extracts showed good antibacterial activity, but the acetone extract didn’t show any specific activity. The presence of the phytochemicals signifies the potential of Ocimum sanctum as a source of therapeutic agents and may provide leads in the ongoing search for antimicrobial agent from plants.