Phytochemical investigation of dichloromethanic fraction on Ocimum gratissimum L. extract

Abstract

Previous studies showed that ethanolic extract of Ocimum gratissimum inhibited growth of Penicillium chrysogenum, Rhizoctonia sp, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria sp, isolated from tomato and carrot. The aim of this study was to identify the chemical constituents of Ocimum gratissim. Aerial parts of the plant were treated with hexane-dichloromethane-ethanol mixture (1:3:1) at room temperature. The obtained extract was chromatographed on silica gel column eluted with hexane, dichloromethane and ethanol. Fractions eluted with dichloromethane were rechromatographed on a column of silica gel to yield alyphatic hydrocarbon mixture (C31, C33, C34 e C35), eugenol, caryophyllene oxide and a mixture of stigmasterol and sitosterol. The structures of the compounds were deduced by spectral data analysis and by comparison with literature values. Recent studies showed that eugenol is probably one of the responsibles for antifungal activity of O. gratissimum.