Volatile oil May Account for the Antibiotic Effect of the Leaves of Ocimum gratissimum

Abstract

Volatile oil was extracted from shredded Ocimum gratissimum leaves using a clavenger-type apparatus. Standard cream formulated from this volatile oil has been found to exhibit growth inhibitory activity using a modification of the checkerboard technique on selected test organisms - Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An interaction study with gentamicin cream predominantly showed synergism. The volatile oil may contribute to the use of the leaf extracts in folk medicines for the treatment of infective disorders.

Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, Volatile oil, Gentamicin, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis