Ocimum gratissimum, also known as clove basil, African basil, and in Hawaii as wild basil, is a species of basil. It is native to Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, and the Bismarck Archipelago, and naturalized in Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, West Indies, Brazil, and Bolivia.

Other names

O. gratissimum is a common culinary herb in West Africa and is used by some in the Caribbean, going by many local names, even in the Indian subcontinent.

Uses

In Nigeria, scent leave is used in making pepper soup, local rice, beans, plantain, even regular soup, and other delicacies.

Seed germination

Seeds seem to need strong sunlight to germinate, although germination has been achieved even during an average UK summer.

Phytochemical compounds

The phytochemicals present in Ocimum gratissimum contains polyphenols such as Gallic acid, Rosmanol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids such as Nepetrin, Quercetin, Rutin, Catechin, and also alkaloids and terpenoids. Naringin, uteolin, Apigenin, Nepetoidin, Nevadensin, Hymenoxin, Salvigenin, Apigenin, 7,4,′-dimethyl ether, Basilimoside, 2alpha, 3 beta-Dihydroxyolean- 12en-28-oic acid, Methyl acetate, Oleanolic acid

Pharmacology of extracts and essential oils

The essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum contains eugenol and shows some evidence of antibacterial activity. The essential oil has potential for use as a food preservative, and is toxic to Leishmania.

Insect repellent

O. gratissimum repels the thrips Thrips tabaci, and so is a useful insect repellent in other crops.