Investigation of Antioxidant Potential in Ocimum basilicum Flower

Aims: The present work is particularly focused on antioxidant properties of flower of Ocimum basilicum plant.

Study Design: Study is basically designed on Column chromatography of extracts.

Place and Duration of Study: Sample collection and all experimental work was done in Chemistry Department Government College University, Lahore. The study comprises duration of 6 months.

Methodology: The flower of Ocimum basilicum were collected, dried and grinded. It was soaked in methanol-water (70:30) in dark bottle for a week. Followed by a scheme (column chromatography). After TLC of extracts, three activities were done. Phosphomolybdate, Ferric thiocyanate (FTC), and Folin-Ciocalteu (FC reagent) for determination of antioxidant capacity, peroxidation, determination of total phenols respectively.

Results: The sample OC2 and crude have maximum absorbance at the concentration of 100µl, 200µl and 300µl. The results show that crude has maximum antioxidant capacity. The phenolic contents are in the increasing order of fraction OC2, OC5, and crude. The maximum phenolic contents are present in crude. Reference has the maximum ability for peroxidation for ferric thiocyanate complex by giving red colour.

Conclusion: Overall it is concluded that Ocimum basilicum flower has antioxidant capacity as good as a standard antioxidant. It is recommended in food/medicine as natural herbal product.