Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oils of Sudanese Accessions of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

This study is concerned with the evaluation of antibacterial activity of the essential oils of the most commonly grown ornamental-type basils (five types) as well as that of wild-type basil which spontaneously grows in large pure stands during the rainy season. The essential oils of all six basil types showed strong antibacterial activity against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium. This activity was dose-dependent. Calculated LD sub(50) values varied between 40 and 325 kL of crude essential oil/well, for the three bacteria, using the agar well diffusion method. The crude essential oil of wild Sudanese basil, assayed by the disc diffusion method, had three TLC-separated compounds which were active against Salmonella typhimurium. One of these was identified as geraniol, a major constituent of the essential oil. Thus basil essential oil has potential clinical or food applications as an antibacterial agent.